Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 2: BJP State spokesperson Balbir Ram Rattan, while rubbishing the utterances of Panthers Party chairman Harshdev Singh, said that BJP has never dented pride and honour of Dogras and the Party’s fundamental ideological moor in the State is embedded in the Dogra psyche and other nationalist people of the State.
He said that it was Panthers Party, which always deceived the people of Jammu province and that is why it was rejected by the people of Jammu. The people had very bad experience as their performance as MLAs disillusioned them.
The spokesperson said that in fact, it had been Harshdev Singh as three times MLA and Cabinet Minister, who did nothing to protect the pride and honour of Dogras and their culture. BJP, on the other hand, pursued Jammu centric policies and while in the Government, tried its best to do justice to the people of Jammu province, who had been deprived of their genuine rights and entitlements in the past.
Balbir Ram Rattan reminded Panthers leader that it was during BJP-led Government at the Centre that Dogri language got due recognition and was included in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution and broadcasting of Dogri News was started on Doordorshan. He further said that work for restoration and protection of Mubarak Mandi Heritage complex got most priority during PDP-BJP coalition. It was again BJP, which installed the statues of Maharaja Hari Singh, the great Dogra ruler, when it was heading Jammu Municipal Corporation in 2005.
Balbir Ram Rattan said it seems that the Chairman of Panthers Party is ignorant of the facts that BJP had launched a long drawn agitation in Jammu during early 1990s for establishment of VDCs and subsequently as partner of NDA Government enhanced the emoluments of SPOs from rupees 3000 to 6000; announced package for refugees; made provision of five marla plots at safer places for border people; launched PM Fasal Bima Yojna for farmers, hiked the relief of Jammu migrants at par with Kashmiri migrants which NPP when in coalition failed to do and numerous welfare schemes for women and the unemployed youth.
He said that during the 10 months of PDP-BJP coalition Government, BJP ensured equitable distribution of development projects and funds for all the regions of the State, it got sanctioned number of prestigious institutions like AIIMS, IIT, IIM, IHM and many other infrastructure development projects for Jammu region from the BJP led Government at the Centre.
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