‘NC, Cong compromised Dogra pride’
STATE TIMES NEWS
NEW DELHI: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Monday dared the Congress Party to explain to the people whether it subscribed to the manifesto of the Gupkar Alliance of which it had chosen to be a partner and whether it would restore Article 370 and 35-A, if ever voted to power.
Responding to media queries, Dr Jitendra said, the Gupkar Alliance will spell the doom for Congress Party not only in Jammu & Kashmir but across the whole of India. He also dared the National Conference (NC) to explain to the people of Jammu region whether it endorsed the Gupkar Resolution to restore Article 370.
Accusing these political parties of playing with the sentiments of people through misleading statements, Dr Jitendra expressed surprise that both the National Conference and Congress are today crying hoarse for the honour of Dogras, whereas these two political parties are precisely responsible for having perpetually compromised the Dogra pride. He accused NC and Congress of not only unleashing oppression against Dogras but also putting behind the bars the tallest Dogra of our times, namely Pandit Prem Nath Dogra.
Dr Singh said, Congress and National Conference are trying to sell the name of Maharaja Hari Singh to the new generation of Jammuites who, they think, may not be fully abreast with history. But, it is on record that Congress led by Jawaharlal Nehru and National Conference led by Sheikh Abdullah were responsible for the humiliating ouster and banishment of Maharaja Hari Singh, he said.
The politically expedient opposition leaders, said Dr Singh, have conveniently come to the conclusion that the Dogras of Jammu do not read their own history and can, therefore, be easily manipulated by opportunistic rhetoric. He asked the Congress and the National Conference, which had ruled Jammu & Kashmir for over half a century, to come out with a White Paper to explain as to how the number of employees in the J&K government services as well as the Civil Secretariat had systematically and progressively declined over the years.
Dr Jitendra accused these political parties of not only physical discrimination against the Jammu region but also leading a psychological warfare resulting in mental enslavement of the people of Jammu region. He said, for the first time, people in every region of Jammu & Kashmir have begun to experience the feeling of being equal citizens and not being subservient to any other region.