JAMMU: Eulogizing the supreme sacrifices made by jawans of 6 Dogra Regiment in a terror attack in Manipur, Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman JKNPP and former Minister lambasted the BJP-PDP combine for delay in announcing the ex-gratia and to the martyrs belonging to Jammu region.
Condemning the statement of Dy. Chief Minister Dr. Nirmal Singh that he had no authority to announce compensation and that no decision had been taken regarding payment of ex-gratia to the family of martyrs, Harsh apprised him that Uttar Pradesh Government had announced an ex-gratia of Rs 20 lakh each to next of the kin of its two slain martyrs and Himachal Pradesh Government had announced Rs. 5 lakh each to the family of martyrs killed in Manipur ambush.
Castigating the Dy. Chief Minister for his casual response to the issue of Dogra martyrs, Harsh said that his conduct and statement was the greatest insult to the national heroes of Dogra land who had made the supreme sacrifices for the defense of the nation and for guarding its frontiers.
Addressing media persons, Harsh reminded the BJP that two IRP jawans namely Constable Santosh Singh and Constable Azad Chand belonging to Jammu region were killed by Pak sponsored militants in Handwara in early March 2013 but the State Government failed to provide any ex-gratia to their distressed families till date.
He said, likewise, the benefits under SRO 43 were also not provided to the families of the deceased which was highly reprehensible.
He asked the BJP members to recollect the massive furore created by them in the Assembly over the said issue in 2013 Budget session and further apprised that the family members of the said martyrs were still running from pillar to post for compensation as well as jobs.
Harsh further condemned the state govt. for its neglect in payment of ex-gratia to the family of Chamel Singh who was killed in Kot Lakhpat Jail of Pakistan. He said that Sarbjit Singh who was also killed in similar circumstances in the same Jail was given the status of a martyr by Punjab Govt. besides his family members having been given ex-gratia of Rs. 1.25 crore in addition to two jobs in the family.
Singh pointed out that even earlier during the Amarnath land agitation several Jammuites had lost their lives but govt. had declined to pay ex-gratia in the cases. And when it came to stone pelters of Kashmir, the govt. lost no time to act and to provide relief and rehabilitation of affected families, he asserted.
Accusing the coalition govt. of double standards, Singh called upon the Jammu based ministers to shed off their inhibitions and assert in view of growing public resentment against their inaction and their second fiddle role.
He said that BJP must immediately announce adequate compensation for all martyrs of Jammu and compassionate appointments failing which the JKNPP would resort to direct action against the criminal acquiescence of Jammu Ministers before Kashmir centric leadership.
Present in the press conference were Vilakshan Singh Advocate, Gangan Partap Singh, Rajesh Padgotra, Sham Gorkha, Neeraj Gupta, Kesar Parvee, Aditiya Hans and Inder Pal Singh.