STATE TIMES NEWS
ANANTNAG: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said on Monday that Kashmir is ushering in a new dawn of democracy, which is truly going to be people’s democracy and not a democracy held to ransom by any dynasty.
Addressing a public meeting at Khanabal on the first day of his election tour of Kashmir Valley, Dr. Jitendra said, the introduction of three-tier democracy under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the holding of election of District Development Councils are a part of the government’s commitment to ensure the same benefits and fruits of grassroots democracy for the people of Jammu & Kashmir, including the Kashmir valley, which are available to the people in the rest of India.
He asked, why the “Gupkar” parties including the National Conference, PDP and Congress had all along resisted attempts to hold Panchayat elections and consciously held back the implementation of the 73rd and 74th Amendments of the Constitution as well as the constituting of the District Development Councils.
Dr. Jitendra said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will go down in the history for having acquainted the people of Kashmir with the true meaning of “Self-Rule” and “Autonomy”, the two slogans with which the Kashmir centric political parties had for decades bluffed the electorate to promote their family rule.
Brushing aside the accusation by certain Gupkar leaders that BJP was uncomfortable because of their decision to participate in the election, Dr Jitendra said, we believe in democracy and anybody or everybody can come forward to test his fortunes in the election, but expressed confidence that on the day of counting of votes, people will send the signal to convey to the whole world that they stand with Bharatiya Janata Party because this is a party which believes in the rule of the masses and not of dynasty.
Later, while addressing a Press Conference, when Dr. Jitendra was asked to respond to Mehbooba Mufti’s comments that the voter turnout in DDC elections was for electricity and water and not an endorsement of Article 370 abrogation, Dr Jitendra retorted saying, she is saying so because she does not wish to give credit to the people for their enthusiastic participation in the polling. He said, if on the other hand, there had been a low voter turnout, she would have made a reverse statement by saying that the low turnout is an expression against abrogation of Article 370. Therefore, he said, there is no credibility in such self- righteous or opportunistic statements, as the people are today much more awakened than before.
Dr. Jitendra said, high voter turnout during DDC election in comparison to dismal voter turnout in the Lok Sabha election last year is indicative of the fact that people were disillusioned with the dynastic candidates put up in the Parliament and Assembly elections but they have huge enthusiasm for the candidates from amongst them contesting the DDC elections.
BJP J&K General Secretary Vibodh Gupta and BJP J&K Morcha Incharge Munish Sharma were also present at the public rally.
Soon after his arrival at the summer capital this morning, Dr Jitendra Singh accompanied by Vibodh Gupta and Munish Sharma paid a visit to Gurdwara Palampura and paid obeisance on the occasion of Gurpurab.
