Jammu: Former Minister and senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla today said that the BJP’s claim of providing ‘pro-people’ governance stand exposed Central Government has failed miserably to address the issues affecting the general public. He castigated the BJP government, saying that the common man is going through the worst sufferings under the current dispensation, which has sold its soul to few businessmen, ignoring the agonies of the countrymen. He said that the country is presently going through a state of crisis.“The graph of the inflation is on a constant rise, the fuel prices have touched the sky, and tens of lakhs of the farmers across the country are protesting for the last two and a half months for repeal of three farm laws aiming to snatch their right over their own lands. The victims of these three issues are the common men, the countrymen who are the true sons of the soil,” said the former Minister.“The BJP claims that theirs is a government of the people, for the people. I ask them to explain how it could be a public friendly government when the common man is suffering from these issues for so long now,” he asked.“If the policies of the Narendra Modi-led government were truly public friendly, then they would have brought the inflation under control and stopped the sky-rocket hike in the prices of fuel,” he said.“Why are the farmers protesting on roads, in this biting cold for so long? At least 63 farmers have lost their lives in these protests. Who is responsible for their deaths,” he said.
Bhalla slammed BJP Govt over continuous discrimination with unemployed youth of Jammu region as towards the 76 posts of works supervisors advertised for filling up in Public Works Deptt (R&B) all for Kashmir Division.He said that the advertisement issued by the J&K SSB provides that 76 posts of works supervisors for Kashmir Division shall be filled up through a written test with eligibility criteria of matric pass or its equivalent from any recognized Board or University and ITI certificate in Building construction or carpentry trade.“While works supervisors post has been made a divisional cadre post and 76 such posts allotted to Kashmir Division not a single post has been advertised for Jammu Division thus once again depriving the already discriminated and incarcerated region of Jammu. While the Agriculture Deptt had assured withdrawal of notification with respect to posts of Agricultural Assistants and others when Jammu region was allotted mere 20 such posts against 136 for Kashmir, it was ironical that ongoing process for selection of works supervisors failed to attract the attention of authorities concerned. It was unfortunate to find the BJP leaders acting as mute spectators in the face of the extremely hostile treatment doled out to Jammu region. None of the BJP leaders had bothered to come out of their hiding despite a massive outrage having sparked in Jammu with the ITI trained youth of Jammu taking to streets and protesting for a due share to the Jammu region in the said posts so advertised. The first select list released after abrogation of Art 370 in Fire Services Deptt had merely 70 candidates from Jammu region as against 620 selected from Kashmir division. The J&K Bank select list duly finalized by a reputed national level recruitment agency was quashed only for the reason that the share of Jammu region was higher than that of Kashmir. Urging upon the youth of Jammu to unite for seeking an equitable share in services, Bhalla assured that Congress would stand toe to toe and shoulder to shoulder with the educational, unemployed in their quest for justice.
Bhalla advised the BJP to stop rhetoric and focus on development and employment in marginalized Jammu and Kashmir.“BJP is creating a lot of euphoria by raising noise over non-issues instead of addressing the accumulated problems of the people”, Bhalla said while addressing the aggrieved people at Dharap Shergarh in Gandhi Nagar Assembly Constituency. Prominent among those present on the occasion include Block President Amrit Bali, Block President Satish Sharma, Sarpanch Kashmir Singh, Masqood Ahmed Timmi, Latif Ahmed, Naib Sarpanch Parveen Kumar, Panch Ashwani Kumar, Panch Surinder Singh, Panch Soma Devi, Panch Kuldeep Raj, Marsha Singh, Prithvi Singh, Kewal Krishan, Deya Ram, Ram Lal, Dr. Yashpal Ch., Joginder Singh, Bnarsai Dass, BC Nanda, Chandan Verma beside others.Former Minister said that emotive slogans have retarded the growth of Jammu and Kashmir during the past six years, increased unemployment and paralysed economy. Jammu has suffered the most as the BJP took people for-granted and did virtually nothing instead of making fast promises. And, the height is that instead of apologising to the people for their failures on all fronts, the BJP leaders are brazenly testing their patience by again indulging in rhetoric. If they would have bothered to feel the pulse of the public sensitivity, they would have known where they stand. The wrath and the anger of the Jammu people has already given a big jolt to the BJP in the recent District Development Council elections and they are feeling earth under their feet shaking, he added.
Former Minister maintained that it is incumbent upon the administration to speed up development, which has been in silent mode for the past six years and take measures to fill up the vacancies on fast track basis so that educated unemployed find some sort of succour”, he said, hoping that the administration will also ensure completion of various mega projects in the Jammu region that have already crossed several deadlines.Asking BJP to shun rhetoric and stop playing to the galleries, Bhalla wondered what Jammu got during the past six years.“A lot of hue and cry is being raised over non-issues without speaking a word about the real issues that have caused immense concern and apprehensions among permanent residents here, particularly with regard to their identity, jobs and lands”, he said.Posing a direct question to the BJP propaganda brigade, he said false assurances and fake promises have proved hollow with one after another measures being announced almost every next day.He advised BJP to get acquainted with ground realities which are not as rosy as they try to paint day in and day out. He urged the people to remain steadfast in their resolve in fighting divisive and deceptive politics, which has harmed Jammu a lot during the past nearly six years.“Now time has come for you to make a choice between performers and detractors, who have mastered in falsehood”, Bhalla said and exhorted the people to support Congress, which stands guarantee to peace, tranquillity, development and fulfilment of aspirations of all, irrespective of caste, creed, region or religion.
Bhalla said one can understand that internet in Kashmir is subject to security review but why Jammu is being kept deprived of the mobile internet is beyond anyone’s apprehension. It continues to remain snapped in Jammu region for more than one year.”He said, “There is no logic behind keeping the mobile internet block in Jammu region. No untoward incident has taken place in the region since August 5 when the Government of India announced its decision to scrap J&K’s special status and reorganize the erstwhile state into two Union Territories.”He said that Jammu is once again paying a heavy price for being clubbed with Kashmir. “J&K’s reorganization had generated hope among the people of Jammu region that it would end discrimination with them but nothing of that sort has happened. He said that chances of internet getting restored in Kashmir look bleak but that doesn’t mean that Jammu too should be held hostage for J&K being one Union Territory. “The BJP leaders from Jammu are silent over this issue as their tall claims about empowering Jammu region have fallen flat. Despite their party being a ruling party at the centre they have failed to convince the people sitting in the national capital that Jammu is suffering unnecessarily,” he added.”It seems that BJP leaders in Jammu fear that if they open their mouths they could face disciplinary action. They don’t want to annoy anyone in New Delhi. For them people of Jammu don’t matter as most of them believe that whenever Assembly elections are held Jammu people will vote for the BJP only as they don’t have any other option. Someone needs to tell them that they are loosing ground as the people have realized that no one takes them seriously in Delhi,” Bhalla added.He said, “BJP leaders should realize that mobile internet blockade is a big issue for the people of Jammu region and if they fail to convince their leaders in Delhi that it needs to be restored, this issue can sink them completely in J&K.
A day after the BJP leader said that the BJP wants to restore the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir, Bhalla said the ruling party should restore it without “beating around the bush”. “First of all, they should tell us why they took away statehood of Jammu and Kashmir. If they want to restore it, restore it without asking anyone to agitate for it,” he said. Why did you bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir? Why did you downgrade J&K into Union Territories without realising its implications? First you answer it,” Bhalla asked. Bhalla said people of state can no longer be befooled and hood-winked by self-created controversies in order to address their respective constituencies putting the state into a situation of political un-certainty leading to imposition of Governor Rule. Accusing the BJP of disregarding the aspirations of the people of J&K and ignoring the burning issues of masses in J&K, former minister said that the ruling party had failed to inspire millions of the new UT. The party had given wide publicity to public issues during 2019 elections with high hopes generated amongst various sections of society which eventually ended in smoke, said Bhalla.He added that the so called earlier Vision document had caused huge disappointment not only amongst the common masses but had also democratized the die-hard supporters of the BJP regime.While appealing the civil society, youth, social and political organizations of the region to dedicate the year 2021 for the cause of Jammu region, Bhalla said that Congress would provide a common platform for all those who stood for upholding and restoring the lost dignity and pride of the Dogra land.“Jammu region has been demeaned under BJP rule. It has been relegated to worse than second class status. The BJP has used Jammu as a mere vote bank giving a damn to the aspirations of the people who have been made to reconcile with their ignominy and destitution.
