Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 12: Union Health Minister and senior AICC leader Ghulam Nabi Azad today said that local BJP leadership betrayed the people of Jammu region and harmed their interests for personal gains.
Addressing public rallies in Bani, Billawar and Basohli area of district Kathua today, Azad said BJP leadership was indulging in deceitful acts to hoodwink the gullible people. They always exploited the people on regional and communal lines.
Questioning the credibility of State BJP leaders, Azad said when ever the people of Jammu have cast votes in favour of BJP, they were betrayed and back-stabbed by the party. Referring to 2008 Assembly elections episode, the Congress leader said exploiting sentiments of people the BJP managed 11 Assembly seats. What happened later during Legislative Council elections and how some of them were expelled, every body knows. They only watched their own interests and played with the sentiments of people.
Coming down heavy on Opposition leadership for dividing the society on religion and caste lines, the Union Minister said “Congress party does not play politics of religion, as there are so many other things to offer to the people of the State as well as the country.”
Charging BJP leadership for indulging in deceitful tactics to hoodwink the gullible people, Azad who is Congress candidate for Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seat said that except exploiting sentiments of the people, the BJP leadership have done nothing concrete for the common masses.
Lashing out at BJP for its divisive politics, Azad said that “political parties like BJP, who have nothing to offer to the people and have done nothing for the welfare of the State, just fall back upon religion and caste lines to muster support to grab power. Use of religion and caste during elections is fatal for Indian democracy,” he added.
Striking an emotional chord with the hilly populace, Mr Azad said that he also belongs to remote and hilly belt and he understands the problems being faced by the people of hilly terrain. He reminded the people of the developmental projects especially the road connectivity in rural and hilly areas initiated during his tenure as Chief Minister. This hilly belt of Bani and Basohli has almost similar problems and issues like that erstwhile, Doda district.
Accompanied by MP Madan Lal Sharma, Mr Azad further reminded the gathering that a comprehensive development policy was formulated during his tenure as Chief Minister of the State to accelerate developmental activities in remotest and far-off areas. He said that special attention was paid to those areas of Jammu region which remained neglected for decades together. “Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for road connectivity were prepared and the projects sanctioned so that the people of the remote belts are connected with the town areas,” he said.
“It is Congress vision that has created vast infrastructure in the country since Independence. There was not even enough food grain to feed the countrymen. It was the visionary approach of Congress that led the country to become a prosperous nation. It was due to Congress, that India is in position to export food-grain to other countries. It is all due to the policies of Congress party that medicines manufactured by us are being exported in over 100 countries, Azad maintained.
Seeking support of the people to accelerate developmental activities in hilly areas of Billawar, Basohli and Bani of Kathua district, Azad said that he has a specific vision for these areas. “These hilly belts have huge tourism potential and it is need of the hour to exploit this potential to improve socio-economic conditions of the people”, he said.
Azad who was also accompanied by Minister for Cooperatives, Dr Manohar Lal Sharma and former Minister Prem Sagar Aziz said Congress was committed to change fate of the people of Jammu region. “Congress Minister in the National Conference-Congress Government have proved how to protect wishes and aspirations of the people of Jammu region”, he said and added that “the creation of new districts and hundreds of new administrative units has again proved that Congress has always prepared its policies and programmes keeping in view the interests of common masses.
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