JAMMU: Religion and spirituality are sources of views of life; they constitute creative political and social forces. Development co-operation cannot afford to ignore religion and spirituality. This was the observation of former minister and senior Congress leader after attending a religious function in Nai Basti area of Gandhi Nagar Constituency on Sunday.
He said that religious organisations played an important role in many situations as providers of social service and as social safety nets or as real forces for social organisation.
All over the world, organisations with a religious background are actors and partners in relief, reconstruction and development work, he added.
Meanwhile, addressing the various deputations from Gandhi Nagar Constituency, former minister expressed concern over problems of common people multiplying with each passing day, saying it seems that the PDP-BJP Coalition Government is yet to take off despite over 22 months of being in office in State.
“Except for pursuing anti-people policies, the Coalition Government has bade farewell to development and governance”, he said in an interaction with several delegations of the constituency.
Bhalla said that the impact of the government is zero in rural and far-off areas with infrastructural development and utility services remaining in shambles.
“The government has not only failed on development front but it has also not been able to seek solution to political issues, as a result of which the State underwent a most traumatic phase this year”, the former minister said.
While scarcity of rations at the CAPD sale outlets caused enormous hardships to the consumers, the erratic power and drinking water supply added to their miseries, he said adding that utility services are almost in shambles with Coalition Government just doing lip service. The government has failed to convince the public that coalitions are good for the country, and more than two-thirds of people now believe the government is weaker, less decisive and “confused” about what it stands for.
He said the people are suffering due to developmental inertia, as the present dispensation has not only abandoned the schemes initiated by the Congress led government but also failed to take up new projects as per needs of the people.
He further said since the Aaadhar Card had been termed as a bonafide document, the requirement of the same has now become all the more important.
“There is a good percentage of people to whom the Aaadhar card has not been issued due to which they are facing a lot of difficulties,” he said.
Accusing the BJP of indulging in ‘double speak’ on the issue of West Pakistan refugees, Bhalla said the party which had promised to provide citizenship rights to the refugees before elections was now providing only identity cards to them.