Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, July 10: Coming down heavily on Bharatiya Janata Party for drawing a glossy picture, Provincial President National Conference Devender Singh Rana on Thursday said though it will be premature to comment at this point of time yet the change as promised does not seem to be imminent.
“The tall claims and catchy promises appear to be hollow with back of the common man getting terribly hit by inflation and alarming price rise”, he added.
“BJP and its Xerox copy PDP have been good at marketing but as and when the people reposed trust in them and afforded them the rare opportunity to govern, they miserably failed and let down people and as a consequence got exposed”, Mr Rana said while addressing workers.
“In Jammu and Kashmir, the role of BJP has all along been divisive and with the tacit support of PDP they have mastered in polarizing the situations which was discernible in immense measure during 2008 and after”, he said and referred to the Amarnath land row agitation that left the two divisions virtually eyeball to eyeball situation. He said had the National Conference not plunged in the field, the situation would have been irretrievable.
Mr Rana expressed anguish over exploiting the religious and regional sentiments of people for vote bank politics and said this is detrimental to the larger interests of the State that is known for its composite ethos. “National Conference has always strengthened the bond between various segments of the society as secularism forms core of its policy”, he said.
“Any deviation from the chosen path of secularism will lead to chaos and mistrust”, he said while making a pledge that his party will fight tooth and nail such tendencies. He said National Conference believes in diversity and this has been the strength that has always endeared it to cross section of people.
The Provincial President asserted that given the record card of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah during the past over five and half years together with people-friendly policies, National Conference is all set to emerge as a single largest party in the ensuing elections.
Mr Rana dwelt in detail on progress registered in various developmental sectors, implementation of welfare schemes, launching of new projects and providing equal opportunities of progress to all the three regions and sub-regions. “By creating new administrative units, administration has come to the doorsteps of the people”, he said and also referred to Panchayati elections that paved larger role for rural people in decision making.
Speaking on the occasion, State Vice President Th Kashmira Singh cautioned the people against divisive and disruptive machinations of BJP and PDP, saying the two parties have always remained hand-in glove to weaken National Conference.
Former Minister and Chairman ST/OBC Cell of National Conference Babu Ram Paul enumerated the progressive policies of Sher-e-Kashmir’s great movement, saying these have benefited the weaker sections and down trodden segments of society in a good measure.
Senior leader Jugal Mahajan also addressed the workers and exhorted them to fan out in their areas for apprising the people about revolutionary steps taken by the Omar led Government in empowering them and making administration accountable and responsive by introducing Public Services Guarantee and Right to Information Acts.
The local leaders raised various public interest issues and hoped these will meet favourable consideration during days to come.
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