JAMMU: Lamenting the in-explicable and inordinate delay in the installation of the proposed statute of Maharaja Gulab Singh at Kunjwani Chowk Jammu, Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman JKNPP and former Minister, has expressed concern over the reports emanating from various quarters regarding shelving of the said project by the BJP-PDP Government.
He said that the delay and deny tactics of the State Government authorities over the issue in the past had created a lot of resentment amongst the various sections of society in Jammu region.
He was addressing a delegation of prominent members of civil society who had called upon him on Friday.
Tracing the origin of the said proposal of installation of statute of Maharaja Gulab Singh at the aforesaid Kunjwani crossing, Harsh pointed out that the then Chief Minister in 2001 had given an assurance in this regard in pursuance of a representation made to him by members of civil society.
He claimed that the then Chief Minister Dr. Farooq Abdullah had not only approved the proposal but had also instructed the concerned authorities to display the Board indicating the site for the statute.
He said that the aforesaid directions of Dr. Farooq Abdullah were also carried in leading daily newspapers of Jammu on 28th November, 2001 and later on 25TH May, 2002. He said that the matter remained in limbo for quite some time but again in 2008, the Divisional Commissioner Jammu Vide his letter No. 402/1434/statute/5291 dated 1st January, 2008 wrote to Director NH Authority of India on the subject.
He said that the Divisional Commissioner Jammu once again vide his letter No. 92/P&S) MISC/903-04 dated 28th November, 2013 recommended the installation of statute at the staid place.
He said that even the Raj Bhawan, on a representation having been made to the Governor, wrote a letter No. G.S. 349 (G) APL/2013/2196 dated 7th February, 2013 whereby it endorsed the said representation to H&UD Deptt. for appropriate consideration. He regretted that the govt.’s apathy to the subject was being construed by the civil society as a dis-respect to the late Maharaja and the founder of the state which had created a lot of unrest and resentment amongst the Dogras of Jammu region.
Those who comprised the delegation included Brigadier S.S. Sambyal (Retd), Colonel Jangbir Singh (Retd), Balbir Singh CEO (Retd), V.S. Jamwal Commandant BSF (Retd), Shiv Charan ZEO (Retd), Pushp Raj Educationist, C.S Kattal President Dugger Manch, Col. J.P. Singh (Retd), M.S. Jamwal (Retd) Chief Engineer, Capt. Inder Singh (Retd), Surjit Singh Educationist besides others.