STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has expressed grave concern at the growing tendency among the opposition parties to mislead the public by false statements. BJP respects the right of the opposition to criticise the government but hopes for a constructive criticism.
In a statement issued here on Monday by the party, it has asked the political parties to face the realities and stop false propaganda as the people of the State are intelligent enough not to easily forget the humiliations of the past and distinguish between genuine or false criticism.
Condemning Congress for misleading the people through statements like Central and State Governments have diluted the rights of SCs, STs and OBCs, Brig Anil Gupta, State Spokesperson, asked the Congress leaders to first clarify as to who had denied them their basic rights?
“Why the OBCs were denied their 27 per cent reservation quota despite the judgement of Supreme Court in famous Indra Sawhney’s case delivered in 1992 when Congress Government led by Ghulam Nabi Azad in 2005, enacted the J&K Reservation Act and Rules repealing SRO-126 of 1994. Why did Azad not adopt 85th Amendment to Constitution of India-2001, which was meant to provide reservation benefits to the SC/ST government employees in promotion? He Questioned.
Why the SCs of the State were denied for 20 years their constitutional right till 1970 by the then democratic rulers (Congress and National Conference) by citing the excuse of the special status of the State. Which political parties are responsible for the special status is well known to the people? Why Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP), applicable in rest of the country since 1979 is not implemented in J&K depriving the deserving section of opportunities of growth and development? further questioned Brig Gupta?
“While the NC blames us for betraying the youth, it conveniently forgets that NC-Congress government under Omar Abdullah enacted draconian SRO-202. Will NC explain as to how much jobs it provided under the much touted SKEWPY launched in 2009 and why did the scheme fail? Why Jammu youth was given a meager Rs 20.40 crore (less than 25 per cent) under Voluntary Service Allowance for unemployed educated youth with lion’s share Rs 69.04 crore going to Kashmir? He further asked.
“The present people-friendly government has enacted SRO-502 for regularising almost one lakh casual daily wagers. 3.2 lakh workers registered and an amount of Rs 275.26 crores disbursed to workers in unorganised sector, mainly SC/ST, by workers Welfare Board,” he said.
“J&K is also the first state in the country to implement Seventh Pay Commission under the present regime. For the first time 6 per cent reservation for ‘poorest of the poor’ having annual income of Rs 1 lakh or less, has been proposed by the government,” Brig Gupta asserted.(PTI)