JAMMU: The estranged relationship between State BJP and Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCI) Jammu faced another blow on Saturday when CCI President Rakesh Gupta blamed the State Chief of saffron party Sat Sharma for trying to malign the image of core trade body representing Jammu’s business fraternity by sabotaging its Bandh call given for the sake of national interest and oppose the separatists.
In a handout released here on Saturday, Rakesh using acerbic narration gave detailed account of sequence of events which lead to its differences with BJP starting from the day, BJP joined hands with PDP to form Coalition Government in State.
Citing different occasions in last more than a year when CCI confronted with the Saffron brigade over discrimination with Jammu region and successful Jammu Bandhs were carried out in collaboration with Jammu Bar and amalgam of different organizations formed to fight for AIIMS in Jammu, Rakesh criticized section of people and BJP for propaganda against traders’ body on social media projecting August 20 Bandh call in bad light. Terming the perpetuators of this propaganda as ‘Jaichands’ of Jammu, he categorically said that the sole purpose of Intra Region dialogue proposed by the CCI was to convey to the separatists that the people of Jammu and Ladakh were not with them in their anti-India campaign and peace is imperative for development of the state.
“CCI is the only business association in Jammu at provincial level which has a democratic process of election through ballot. The ‘Jaichands’ want to weaken it but they will never succeed”, he asserted adding that State BJP which has won the Assembly seats because of the goodwill and trust of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has failed to live up to the expectations of the people.
“They (BJP leadership) have not uttered a word against the separatists or killings of soldiers. Even the worrisome scenario of fall in number of devotees in the recent Amarnath Yatra has not moved these so called champions of Jammu cause”, he said adding that it is right time for the people of Jammu to re-think who is for Jammu and who is not?