Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 14: Calling upon the State and Central Government to honour the aspirations of Jammu people regarding announcement of September 23 as a State holiday to commemorate Maharaja Hari Singh’s birthday, Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman-JKNPP & former Minister said that delay and deny over the said issue had deeply hurt the sentiments of Dogras.
Talking to media persons after admitting around 70 youth in Panthers Party at Party Headquarters in Jammu today, Harsh Dev Singh questioned the double standards of BJP which endorsed the demand of the Jammu people while in opposition but refused to act over the same after ascending the throne of power.
He said that the revered Maharaja shall always be remembered for showcasing his nationalistic ethos when he acceded the State of J&K to the Union of India by signing the historic Instrument of Accession of 26th October, 1947. He wondered that holiday on Maharaja’s Birthday was denied by so called nationalist party despite the late Dogra ruler’s colossal contributions having made millions of nationalist people of the State to call themselves as proud Indians.
“Maharaja Hari Singh was the icon of secularism and modern democracy who introduced several social reforms in the fields of Judiciary, Education, Revenue, Finance etc. His contribution towards women empowerment, alleviation of racial discrimination on the basis of caste, creed and colour was impeccable and visionary. It was ironical therefore that September 23 was despicably ignored with a sectarian motive to disparage the achievements of the Maharaja and to hurt the sentiments of the Dogras by none other than BJP Government”, Harsh rued.
Also lambasting the Apni Party, NC and PDP as well for maintaining criminal silence to endorse the policy of delay and deny over the subject, Singh rued that the opposition to the holiday despite resolution to the effect having been passed in Legislative Council during the previous Government only exposed the communal psyche of the Kashmir centric leaders.
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