Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 29: Rattan Lal Gupta, Provincial president Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), Jammu while expressing serious concern over the rising drug menace across Jammu and Kashmir has slammed the Administration for opening of new liquor shops in every nook and corner of Jammu.
In a statement issued to media here today, Rattan Lal Gupta while quoting Lok Sabha data said that more than 10 lakh people stand affected due to drug menace in J&K including one lakh women. He questioned the Govt for opening 26 new wine shops in J&K and its decision to allow sale of beer at general stores just to earn revenue, least bothering about the children and youth of this region.
The senior National Conference leader said that one fails to understand as to what path the incumbent Govt of J&K is treading upon. He lamented that already the J&K tops so far as unemployment across the nation is concerned and in such a situation making alcohol easily and abundantly available in Jammu is bound to lure the youth and children into drugs.
Rattan Lal said that in such a situation National Conference is highly worried about the future of J&K youth and even children who are the future citizenry of this Union Territory as well as that of the nation. He said that on one hand the Govt is clamouring a lot about the schemes rolled out by it like ‘Beti Padao Beti Bachao’, Make in India, StartUp schemes, etc but on the other hand these schemes of the Union Govt will prove absolutely futile in J&K where the Administration is following the policy of promoting and facilitating alcoholism.
Accusing the BJP Govt at the Centre of being wholly and solely responsible for the chaotic situation of J&K, Gupta said that the J&K Administration being a non-democratic and non-representative dispensation has failed to address the woes of the people here and the only solution left is to immediately announce the election schedule for the J&K Assembly so that the democracy is restored.