STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Senior Congress leaders on Sunday asserted that both BJP and PDP have exploited sentiments of the people of State and obtained their votes by creating communal divide.
The statement was made during a meeting of senior leaders of Congress Party held here to deliberate on the problems faced by the people of State in general and Jammu Province in particular and callous attitude of the BJP-PDP government in addressing the same.
The meeting was attended by Tara Chand (Ex-Dy. CM), Janak Raj Gupta (Ex-MP), Gulchain Singh Charak (Former Minister and Former Member CWC-AICC), Hari Singh (Former Senior Vice President PCC J and K), Jugal Kishore Sharma MLC Leader of Upper House, R.S Chib (Former Minister), Ashok Sharma (Ex-MLA) Amolak Singh, Hukam Chand and Chuni Lal Bhatt.
It was felt that the decision of the government to establish AIIMS at Srinagar instead of Jammu was most unfortunate decision by the government inspite of the fact that both State and Union governments have admitted that AIIMS will be established at Jammu.
The Congress leaders expressed concern on the failure of wheat crops due to untimely heavy rains. It was felt that no serious steps have been taken by the government to assess the damage and provide necessary compensation to the poor farmers, besides compulsory insurance of cattle and crops on government expenditure to save the farmers of starvation.
The issue of refugees of 1947, 1965, 1971 and West Pakistan is still unsettled which is pending for the last many decades. It is pertinent to mention here that the previous coalition government in which Congress was a partner, had submitted a package to the Government of India for grant of financial assistance. However it is unfortunate that present NDA government is sleeping over the same and demanded an immediate release of the package.
The problems of the border residents living along the Indo-Pak border including LoC because of the heavy shelling from across the border remained unsolved including the promises made by the BJP during the election for providing them plots in safer places.
They demanded that the defective rather useless employment policy framed by the J and K government against which not only the youth of the State but almost all the political, social and other organisations have also raised their voice should be withdrawn forthwith.
The leaders warned the governments both at the centre and state, to immediately pay attention and address the problems of the people. They also appealed to Congress workers to get ready for a vigorous struggle.
In the meeting, a serious concern was also expressed about the confused policy of the State and Central Governments about the settlement of Kashmiri Pandit Migrants in the Valley and demanded that immediate steps should be taken as per the wishes of the Kashmiri Pandit Community.