MT News Service
Jammu, August 3:
District Congress Committee Jammu (Urban) on Tuesday held its Monthly Meeting at PCC Headquarters at Shaheedi Chowk to discuss party affairs and plans for the coming month. The meeting was chaired by Former Minister J&K Yogesh Sawhney, General Secretary PCC & InCharge District President Jammu (U). Amid rising resentments for the uncertainty and delay in restoration of the statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress is planning to hold a massive Agitational Programme against the Centre to demand the restoration of complete statehood. Sawhney asked the district Congress leaders to start preparing in this regard. They also discussed upcoming agendas of the party in the Jammu district and chalked down the strategy to address the current problems being faced by people.
In a statement issued to mercury times, addressing the meeting, Sawhney spoke of the upcoming Agitational Programme of the Congress party seeking complete statehood for Jammu and Kashmir and issued important instructions for its preparations. Congress party workers must create awareness among the general public about the failures of the government and the drawbacks of not having the status of being a state. Sawhney said that Jammu has witnessed huge setbacks due to the revocation of statehood by the BJP Government including the seizing of jobs, land, and the suppression of political and civil rights. The economy has also suffered immensely due to the government’s irrational policies and decisions. Therefore, it is high time that the Centre keeps its promise of giving back statehood so that people can exercise their political rights by choosing a democratic government. The Centre should accept the demand for restoration of statehood to J-K in the interest of the Constitution and democracy, he stated.
Launching a scathing attack on the government, Sawhney further added that without a dedicated government elected by the people Jammu and its people are being neglected and overlooked. The Centre is not coming to look after the mohallas of Jammu, he said. And for a credible election exercise, complete statehood is a must. Without statehood, there would be no point in holding elections. Without statehood, Jammu and Kashmir has no guardians. We have reiterated the countless problems that the people of Jammu are facing today because of this injustice of not having statehood. From national issues like skyrocketing fuel and food prices and the pandemic that went of out of control, to regional issues specific to Jammu including economic exploitation in the name of toll plazas, taxes and ending of Darbar move to corruption and scams, the people have had to deal with a lot. There is zero focus on development, the Infrastructure is dying out, and people are being denied basic civic amenities like power and water. So, there is an urgent need for decentralisation of power so that a leadership that is more privy to the issues of the region can address them and resolve them. He added that the Congress party will keep fighting for statehood and for the best interests of people of J&K until it is done.
Along with Yogesh Sawhney, Krishan Lal Gupta, Madan Malagar, Dr. Ramakant Khajuria, Sanjeev Sharma, Uttam Singh (Ex Councillor), Corporators JMC Dwarka Choudhary (Chief Whip JMC), Ritu Choudhary, Rajinder Jamwal, Pritam Singh, Ricky Dalotra (JKPYC), Sat Pal Sapolia, Vijay Malohtra, Chander Sheikhar Sharma, Rajesh Sharma, Atul Sharma, Vijay Singh Chib, Jugal Sharma, Ram Magotra, Ajay Kumar, Yash Paul, Rakesh Kumar, Janak Raj Mehra, Jagdish Kashap, Garu Dass, Garu Ram, Vimal Panda and Others were present at the meeting.
