‘Secularism must for peace, prosperity’
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Former Chief Minister and Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday vowed to restore the Roshni Scheme in its original form, land and job protection for the larger benefits of people once he comes to power in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a massive public rally in R.S. Pura, Azad said that all those anti people laws would be revoked which hamper the growth of the people of the UT.
“My priority is to get back the Roshni Scheme since it was largely benefiting people. The abolishing of the scheme recently has dent the economic prosperity of people. It was benefiting thousands of people and had become the source of livelihood, also land and job protection,” he said.
Azad said that he has a vision for the people of J&K and that would be implemented once the DPAP is in power to uplift the UT socioeconomically.
He said that the people of R.S. Pura and other regions, sharing the LoC or International border with Pakistan, have suffered a lot due to shelling from neighbouring country.
“These areas need special attention from the government to compensate the losses they have been incurring due to uncertainty on borders. I can share the pain and sufferings of these people and assure that special schemes for such areas would come up to benefit them socioeconomically,” he said.
Denouncing the politics based on religion, Azad said that he would never encourage politics that imbibes social disharmony and creates discord within religious communities. He said he would also give special attention to the prevailing drug addiction among the youths of the UT.
“Our youth are diverted to drugs and a large population is affected with this menace. We can’t afford to overlook the problem and I will address it once you elect my party to power,” he said.
Azad reiterated that securing the jobs and lands is his utmost priority since the people of Jammu and Kashmir have primary rights over its use to benefit themselves. He appreciated the secular values of people of the Jammu region and said that peace and prosperity is only possible if people are united irrespective of caste, creed and colour.
Azad said that those living adjacent or alongside the LoC or IB shall be provided 5 Marla land plots while the refugees shall also be provided adequate compensation as one time settlement to rebuild their lives.
Among others present on the occasion included, Vice Chairman G.M.Saroori, Gen Secretary R.S.Chib, Gen secretaries A.S.Micky, Vinod Mishra, Anita Thakur, Ch Haroon Khatana, Ab Majeed Wani, Ch Gharu Ram Zonal President, Salman Nizami Chief Spokesperson, Hira Lal Abrol Secretary, P.R.Manhas Zonal President, Ashok Sharma VP Province, Masood Choudhary Secretary, Sobat Ali Choudhary GS, Balbir Singh Distt President, Omprakash Bhall, Dr Tariq Azad, Adv Maheshwar Singh, Col Som Nath, Er Rattan Lal, Zahid Sarfaraz Malik, Gurmeet Kaur, Sunita Arora, Vishal Chopra, Gourav Chopra, Ashwani Handa, Ashutosh Raina and Anoop Khajuria.
