JAMMU: Former Minister and PCC Vice President, Raman Bhalla lashed out at the BJP for its opportunist and power hungry politics in the State which has failed to represent and respect the mandate and sentiments of the people of Jammu region.
While addressing gathering Congress workers at Gole Market here, Bhalla said BJP which always advocated Abrogation of Article 370 right from Shyama Prasad Mukherjee had to eat a humble pie and accepted the remark of Chief Minister that this demand is biggest anti-national act, while continuing its alliance with PDP.
“This is very shameful for the party and speaks of its sheer opportunism for the sake of power,” he said, adding that not only this BJP, which always projected itself as messiah of the sentiments of the people of Jammu region, has accepted to give ex-gratia and employment to the those involved in the anti-national activities in the Valley.
Bhalla termed it as u-turn and complete surrender of BJP after it openly opposed this decision in its executive meeting. He said that on all other matters of ensuring equitable share and respecting sentiments of Jammu region, the BJP is seen in summersault.
He referred to the pilgrim tourism and questioned the silence of BJP and its sister organisations over the curtailment of duration of Shri Amarnath Yatra to 40 days, which used to be 60 days earlier during Congress NC rule, while the number of Yatris, also witnessed a major downward trend last year. The BJP in opposition always talked of respecting religious sentiments, while in power it is reversing all its slogans, he added.
Bhalla raised the issue of acute shortage of ration beside unprecedented hike in the rates of Atta and rice. The people are deprived of ration even on exorbitant rates, which is total failure of the government and Congress would launch an agitation and form the government to deliver on its promises and primary duties, he announced. He also referred to the issues of DPs and refugees of 1947, 1965 and 1971 and said that Centre and State Government have failed to fulfill the promises made to them.
As part of the All India campaign over the adverse impact of demonetisation known as ‘Chaurahe-pe-Charcha’, a massive gathering was organised in Gandhi Nagar Constituency to pose various questions regarding the impact of demonetisation and resultant loss to the economy and hardships faced by the common people.
Bhalla lashed out at Modi government for the sudden demonetisation without adequate preparations which caused great hardship to the common people, small traders, peasantry, labour class and poor man. He questioned that Prime Minister Modi should explain the outcome of this move, which has slowed down the economic growth besides affecting each and every section of the society especially middle income group and lower sections while the affluent class and resourceful people were benefitted.
Chief Spokesperson JKPCC, Ravinder Sharma highlighted the adverse impact of demonetisation and said that Modi government has derailed the economy which has short term and long term affect on the overall economic activities and destablised the common and poor sections depriving them of their livelihood. He termed the decision as ill-advised, ill-planned and ill-implemented.
General Secretary Vikram Malhotra, District President Anil Chopra, Ex-corporators Tilak Raj Gupta, Jai Singh, Satish Sharma, Dr R.K Khajuria, Om Prakash, P.S Chouhan, Rajinder Singh, Praveen Singh, Amrit Bali, Gourav Chopra, Naresh Maini, Sandeep Dogra, J.L Koul, Vijay Sharma, Vijay Singh Chib, Gourav Kapoor, Dewan Chand, Ashwai Handa, Sumit Arora, Goutam Choudhary, Manmohan Singh, Satpal Singh, Shubam Sharma, Vipan Sharma, Chanchal, Popli, Suman, Vandana, Prabha Slathia and Ashok Dogra were present on the occasion.