Various parties protest, demand statehood for J&K
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 5: Various political parties including Congress, PDP and NPP today raised their voice, demanding restoration of statehood to J&K and termed August 5 decision of the BJP Government as dark day in the history of J&K, while Youth Congress, NSUI and PDP held strong protests projecting this issue.
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Questioning BJP and Centre Govt as to what has changed for the betterment of people of J&K and nation, two years after August 5, 2019 decision, J&K Pradesh Congress has said that the promise of 50,000 Govt jobs in three months and opening private sector for jobs, was a big bluff and joke with the educated youth of J&K.
Addressing a Press Conference at PCC office here today, party chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma along with former minister and vice president Raman Bhalla, general secretary Balwan Singh(Ex-MLA), Yogesh Sawhney (Ex-Minister) and Manmohan Singh, questioned what has changed for the benefit and betterment of people of Jammu and Kashmir, as J&K has lost its identity, rights and protections available to its residents which are available in various other states in the country too, in one or other form.
Referring to the claims of BJP, the Congress leaders questioned whether the backbone of militancy has been broken, number the jobs in Govt and private sector have increased, big industrial houses have come to J&K, the situation has normalized, KPs can safely return, the gap between hearts and distance from Kashmir and Delhi (Dil ki aur Dilon Ki Doori) has been reduced and what else has been achieved, after two years of the decision, they questioned.
They said that the militant activities and their numbers continues to be rising and terrorism expending its tentacles to Jammu region too. The dying militancy in 2014 again gained strength with sharp rise in numbers during BJP-PDP regime and same could not be eliminated so far. The 50, 000 jobs in Govt sector in three months, announced in Aug 2019 was a great bluff and joke with educated unemployed youth, while no private sector jobs were created in Jammu and Kashmir in two years.
Where are claims of the floodgates of private investments and creation of large scale jobs in private sector, as nothing of this sort has been witnessed. The local traders, contractors, businessmen and transporters are loosing business opportunities to outside residents, especially in Jammu region, so who has been benefitted by this decision, Congress questioned, while strongly criticizing the disbanding and downgrading of historical state into UT, they added.
Meanwhile, NSUI and PYC activists staged strong protest demonstration against BJP Government and termed Aug 5 decision of BJP as dark day in the history of Jammu and Kashmir. NSUI national president Neeraj Kundan and Pradesh Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib were leading the protest. Senior leaders Sunny Parihar and Karan Bhagat besides others were also accompanied them.
The youth activists raised loud slogans against Modi Govt and demanded restoration of statehood to J&K. When they tried to take out large protest rally towards Raj Bhawan, a strong contingent of police arrested over 50 activists and shifted them to DPL Gandhinagar in a bus. However, they were later released in the afternoon.
Former Union Minister and veteran Congress leader Prof Saifuddin Soz has alleged that it was totally wrong for the Modi Govt to celebrate the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India.
“I am sure a day will come, when people like Modi will realize that it is the peoples’ will that will prevail, ultimately. The people of J&K State cannot compromise with their Principle that Article 370 represented their aspirations. The people will, therefore, continue to struggle for restoration of Article 370 of the Constitution of India,” he added.
“I have a feeling that the Modi Govt will realize someday that the ‘Peoples’ Court’ is the last court, as for political life is concerned. The predominant feeling in Jammu and Kashmir is and will be that the people would continue their struggle for restoration of Article 370 of the Constitution of India as it is this Article which is basic to J&K State’s Constitutional relationship with the Union of India,” Soz added.
Senior Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand today said that the Prime Minister had promised the people of Jammu and Kashmir on the floor of the Parliament that he would return full statehood to the J&K, now he should fulfill his promise as soon as possible.
Addressing public meeting at Akhnoor today, Tara Chand said that people of J&K feel betrayed by the downgrading of the historic state and deprived of the rights to land and jobs. He said that Congress party would intensify struggle for the restoration of statehood with protection to jobs and lands for the locals of J&K. He said that lust for power could lead the BJP to compromise with the Jammu pride and dignity. He accused the BJP of undermining the understanding and political sagacity of the people of Jammu.
PDP activists led by Firdous Tak (Ex-MLC), including large number of youth also held strong protest against BJP Govt outside party office at Gandhinagar here today and demanded restoration of Statehood to J&K with special status. They said that decision of Aug 5, 2019 was a wrong and black chapter in the history of J&K. They demanded immediate restoration of statehood. They tried to take out protest march on the city roads but police foiled their march. Later, some workers were also detained and then released after some time.
JKNPP working committee in a protest meeting held under the chairmanship of Prof Bhim Singh, strongly demanded restoration of Statehood to J&K. They said fight for statehood is the mission of the NPP. They also demanded holding of early elections for the J&K Assembly.
Senior NPP leader and chairman of the party Harsh Dev Singh said that with the erstwhile Dogra state of J&K having been dismantled and downgraded to UT level by divesting it of its statehood status and further, depriving it of the much trumpeted development packages, opening the lands and jobs of its locals to outsiders, suppressing all critical voices through the coercive apparatus of the govt, demolishing institutions, besides running the affairs of state for the last over three years through proxy rule of centre, the BJP regime appeared to be testing the patience of the people of the erstwhile princely state.
He said new laws were being enacted for J&K on regular basis by ‘Babus’ in the Centre and implemented in J&K without any Legislative nod through the aegis of Home Ministry by taking recourse to J&K Re-organization Act. The people were subjected to most unpopular rule of outside bureaucrats who lacked even the basic knowledge of the problems of the common masses and had hardly any connect with the people.
Political activists Ishfaq-ur-Rehman Poswal today slammed BJP government for meting out step motherly treatment to J&K . Talking to media-persons here today Poswal alleged that all the tall claims of the BJP Govt regarding massive development of J&K have proved hollow. He also questioned the intensions of the BJP Govt behind the abrogation of Art 370 , which granted special status to the Jammu and Kashmir. He said there is no relief in militancy and the civilians and jawans are being killed in Kashmir. Unemployment has increased manifold. The youth are feeling duped by BJP Govt.
Jammu West Assembly Movement leader Sunil Dimple along with others today held protest at New Plots and termed Aug 5 as black day in the history of J&K. He strongly criticised BJP for snatching special status of the Jammu and Kashmir. The protesting activists were carrying black flags in their hands and shouting slogans in support of their demand of restoration of statehood with special status to J&K.
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