Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, June 17: Senior Congress leader and MLC, Thakur Balbir Singh today castigated the Government over giving amnesty to stone pelters in Kashmir, accusing it of adopting double standards to appease ‘anti-nationals’.
While addressing a meeting of Congress workers at tehsil headquarters Dinga Amb today, Singh who was accompanied by Ex- MLA Girdhari Lal Chalotra , Pankaj Basotra advocate member JKPCC, Jagdish Dogra stated that when the Government has been beating the trumpet of freeing more than thousands stone pelters in Kashmir, why is it silent over withdrawing the cases of Jammu youth who protested during the Amarnath land row in the year 2008.
“If the Government has decided to give amnesty to the youth of Kashmir valley, why is it turning blind eye over the cases of Jammu youth who protested during the Amarnath agitation in the year 2008. If youth in Valley are freed, why not those of Jammu,” he added.
Congress MLC said that our State is passing through a very bad situation. He said that there is no day when Pakistan is indulge in unprovoked firing even on civil population residing both along IB & LoC. He further said that the people living in these areas are feeling most insecure due to Pak firing and at the same time also facing the apathy of State Govt. He said that the stone pelters so released by weak BJP -PDP Government are indulging in looting banks as well as snatching weapons from security personnels.
He also expressed his apprehension that some of these stone pelters who snatched weapons joined local militant outfit which is a very serious. The law and order situation both in Jammu & Kashmir is turning from bad to worst. He further said that both State & Centre Governments have no concrete policy to curb the militancy.
He also condemned the killings of senior journalist and the Army man from Mendhar who were recently killed by millitants.
While condemning the announcement of amnesty for youth booked under charges of stone pelting Balbir termed the Government move as “compromise with national security by BJP.” Balbir said that the Amarnath Yatra is about to start and keeping in veiw the prevailing situation in the Valley, it is apprehended that these anti national may disturb the peaceful Yatra.
During the meeting many local issues like road connectivity, scarcity of water , shortage of staff in schools were raised. He also demanded upgradation of old Govt High School at Dinga Amb to the level of Higher Secondary.
Prominent among others who were present and spoke on the occasion include Pankaj Basotra advocate, Sardar Khan, Jasbir Singh, Des Raj Raina, Kewal Singh, Govind Ram and Jagdish Singh.