Excelsior Correspondent
BATHINDI (JAMMU), Dec 18: Asserting that inclusive Jammu will play its decisive and designated role in setting a narrative for entire Jammu and Kashmir with avenues of progress to all and appeasement to none, BJP leader and former legislator Devender Singh Rana today said the assimilative heritage of the region shall continue to provide an umbrella to every segment of society, irrespective of religion and caste.
“Jammu won’t remain subservient anymore but shall instead work towards seeking a situation in which every region and sub-region besides every segment of population, irrespective of ethnic, geographic and cultural lineage feels politically empowered and involved in the decision making”, Rana said while addressing a meeting at Bathindi here this afternoon, adding that the governance is not anybody’s exclusive entitlement or birth right.
He said the Jammu narrative is to bind the people and not to divide them as per political exigencies. Those bringing religion and region in the political discourse have actually been beneficiaries of this dubious strategy for decades. This has been their ploy to maintain hegemony by crying wolf about a particular region or class of people being in danger. They have not even been sincere to those who they exploit to be their own, he said, adding that the scenario has now changed as the people are seeing through their game plan. They understand how they are being exploited to remain in the cradle of power, he added.
He said the people of Kashmir too want peace and opportunity to grow politically and economically. A common man is sagacious enough to understand now, more than ever before, that deciding about their fate is not the domain of a selected few, he said.
Rana reiterated that whenever he refers to Jammu it includes the region from Lakhanpur to Poonch and Banihal to Kishtwar Paddar. “Jammu is a beautiful vase of flowers in the form of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians”, he said, adding that his doors have always remained open for all, be they from Jammu, Samba, Kathua Poonch, Rajouri, Kathua, Doda, Kishtwar, Reasi, Kashmir or any other part.
He said he has been striving in bridging the gap between various regions and segments of people, especially as an element of mistrust is being sown by vested interests. He said the vision of the visionary Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who believes in Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas will bloom in J&K and each person belonging to J&K will get empowered and shall proper and usher in an era of growth and progress.
Prominent among others who were present were Abdul Khalid, Noor Alam, Ex- Sarpanch, Ch. Rafiq, Mohd Yaqoob, Hasan Parwaz, Ghulam Rasool Numberdar, Noor Hussain, Ch. Lal Hussain, Ch. Haroon, Ch. Arshad, Dharamveer Singh Jamwal, S. Sucha Singh, Ayodhaya Gupta, Aditya Bakshi, Mubarak Malik, Ch. Hameed and Wali Mohammad.
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