NPP workers being assaulted, abused
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Accusing the BJP of unleashing its goons to sabotage the polls in Jammu region and district Udhampur in particular, Harsh Dev Singh, JKNPP Chairman and former Minister also lambasted the local administration for providing shelter to the criminal elements owing allegiance to the Saffron party for reasons best known. “While the NPP workers were harassed, humiliated, attacked, manhandled and abused on several occasions, the BJP hooligans are granted immunity from legal action and allowed to go scot free despite repeated complaints against them. Two set of laws are running in J&K. One for the BJP and other for the opposition”, said Singh. Addressing the media, Harsh said while the Panthers Party workers were booked by the police on frivolous grounds, the BJP leaders and workers were granted immunity despite proven misconduct and criminal conduct on their part.
He rued the recent episode wherein FIR was registered against Balwant Singh Mankotia for alleged violation of Model Code of Conduct in the DDC elections has further proved how the administration was being abused by the ruling party for promoting its politics of vendetta.
Reiterating latest episode which brought disgrace to BJP for demeaning entire women folk, Singh said Sarpanch Bhugtarian, who was tutored by some BJP leaders prevented him (Harsh Dev), wife Manju Singh and Son Raj Pratap Singh from entering the polling booth. And when he failed in doing so, he hurled filthy abuses upon Manju Singh using highly derogatory language and tried to assault the family. The said Sarpanch later admitted that he had the right to abuse Mrs. Manju Singh as he was a BJP leader. The filthy and profane language used by the Sarpanch against her is duly recorded and video-graphed. It’s shocking while the NPP president was booked, the administration had failed to act against BJP leaders who have been blatantly instigating their workers to cause harm on the JKNPP leaders, lamented Harsh”, said Harsh. Recalling the earlier assault on Manju Singh by BJP goons during DDC elections at village Kail in Majalta, Singh narrated how the Mahila Panther leader contesting election from Khoon constituency was dragged out from her vehicle, assaulted, abused and threatened by one of the drunk ruffians not to dare address the public meeting at the native village of BJP’s Ex-MLA. “The goon himself admitted that he was provided liquor by the said Ex-MLA who instigated him to commit the crime. The said Ex-MLA had crossed all limits of late when he along with his gun-men/PSOs pounced upon NPP leader Pawan Rassal and assaulted and manhandled him at Basantgarh in Ramnagar constituency. Despite lodging FIR against the notorious Ex-MLA, he is still moving scot free”, regretted Harsh. Singh sought arrest of all the culprits including the BJP Ex-MLA RS Pathania and Sarpanch Bhugtrian for conspiring assaults on Panther leaders.
