Cops, workers clash in Udhampur
*Govt action raises questions on democracy: Karra
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Jan 12: The Congress Party today held a sit-in dharna on ‘MGNREGA Bachao’ and the ‘Humari Riyasat, Humara Haq’ (Statehood) campaign at JKPCC headquarters, Shaheedi Chowk, Jammu.
The protest was organised as per the directions of AICC and JKPCC leadership, under the leadership of Former Minister and DCC president Jammu Urban, Yogesh Sawhney, former AICC Secretary and president DCC Jammu Rural, Neeraj Kundan and presided over by working president JKPCC Raman Bhalla. It witnessed the participation of committed Congress leaders and workers from DCC Jammu (Urban & Rural), who strongly voiced concerns over the erosion of people’s rights and livelihood guarantees in Jammu & Kashmir.
Speaking on the occasion Bhalla said that MGNREGA, which was designed to provide employment and economic security to the poorest sections, is being systematically weakened. He stated that delays in wages, reduction in work days and lack of transparency have badly affected rural households. Bhalla asserted that the Congress will not remain silent spectators and will intensify its agitation until the government restores the full spirit of MGNREGA and ensures timely payments and adequate employment for the needy.
Party observer Jammu Urban Mula Ram said that the policies of the Government have pushed common people, especially rural and marginalised communities, into distress. He emphasised that MGNREGA is a lifeline for lakhs of families and any dilution of the scheme is an attack on their survival.
Sawhney and Kundan claimed that Congress will take this movement to every section of society and continue peaceful democratic protests to protect the rights, identity and future of the region. Congress is committed to safeguard employment, development and democratic rights of the people, they added.
Senior leaders GM Saroori, Jugal Kishore Sharma, Gurbachan Kumari Rana, Kanta Bhan, Subash Gupta, Ashok Bhagat, Ajay Lakhotra, Iqbal Dar, Rajesh Sharma, Sanjeev Sharma (Panda), Anirudh Sawhney, Virender Manhas and many others joined the protest dharna.
At Udhampur, Congress leaders and workers led by Ex-MLA Th Balbir Singh druign protest near DC office had minor scuffle with the policemen. The cops tried to drag them away from the venue they decided for holding protest dharna. Some of the party leaders and workers were also detained for some time. Senior leaders Satish Sharma and DCC president, Sumit Mangotra were also accompanying Balbir Singh.
Similar protests were held at Kathua, Rajouri and other districts in the region.
Meanwhile, in entire Kashmir the Government put many party leaders under house arrests and did not allow protests in all the districts. Only a symbiolic protest dharna inside the party office at Srinagar was allowed.
While condemning the Government action JKPCC chief Tariq Hameed Karra said that such actions raise question on democracy in the country. He said peaceful protest is the right of the opposition and any organization in the democracy. But it is unfortunate that many party leaders were put under house arrest in Kashmir.
JKPCC working president Raman Bhalla, MLA Nizamuddin Bhat and chief spokesperson, Ravinder Sharma also strongly condemned the Government action against the Congress party leaders.
Bhat claimed that BJP was trying to weaken the Government schemes.
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