Diversity strength of India, aim of  BJY is to protect it: PCC chief

JKPCC Chief Vikar Rasool Wani flanked by Raman Bhalla and others addressing press conference in Jammu. - Excelsior/Rakesh
JKPCC Chief Vikar Rasool Wani flanked by Raman Bhalla and others addressing press conference in Jammu. - Excelsior/Rakesh

‘DAP dividing secular votes to help BJP’

* 90 groups will join Yatra in J&K

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 9: The JKPCC chief, Vikar Rasool Wani today said that unity in diversity is the strength of India and the aim of Congress Party’s Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY), is to protect it at any cost.

Click here to watch video
Addressing a press conference along with working president Raman Bhalla, Wani said the  objective of Bharat Jodo Yatra is to unite people emotionally in this diverse land. “We have to be united not only geographically but emotionally. Our hopes, aspirations should also be united. If there is an emotional impact of this yatra on the people, electoral impact will also be seen,” Wani added.
“This is a Padyatra (onfoot-march) for the country organised by the Congress. People are participating and joining it by walking on their own for issues close to their heart. In the current political discourse, non-issues are being given priority, while important ones are sidelined. We wish to highlight those important issues,” PCC chief maintained.
Hitting out at the Modi Government for its failure on various fronts during the last eight and half  years of rule at the Centre, Wani referred to the various  failures of the Modi Government, especially in the matter of large scale unemployment, unprecedented price hike, tax terrorism, distress among farmers, besides overall law and order situation in the country.
Wani said that Modi Government had promised two crore jobs per year to the unemployed youths but instead the unemployment rate is  more than 8 percent in the country while 45 crore job seekers have lost the hope of jobs which is a very dismal situation for the youth and other work force.
On the issue of unprecedented price hike, Wani said that the prices of all commodities of common use have gone double or more than that in 8.5  years beyond the reach of common man. He said that the Modi Government’s  tax collection  on petrol diesel  jumps more than 300 percent in few years and the whole sale price hike was 15.88 percent till  May 2022, which is highest in last 30 years.
On the economic front, Wani said that the economic situation is worst, the Indian rupee value is weakest in 75 years . He said that the Modi Government has waived off the loans of rupees more than eleven lakh crore of big capitalists, the farmers were promised double the income by 2032 but they are in great economic distress and after more than one year of struggle there issues of MSP guarantee has not been resolved which shows the anti farmers approach of the Modi government.
In response to replies of media persons regarding some senior leaders from DAP joined the Congress party, Wani said that it (DAP) is collapsing under its own weight, sooner than expected. Those who had joined him because of some close proximity with Ghulam Nabi Azad, realizing the real game plan of new party viz is to divide the secular votes and help BJP only.
PCC Chief said, politically,  today the voices of people are being suppressed and our Constitutional rights are being crushed. Efforts are being made in a systematic manner to subvert Constitution, dismantle our institutions, hollow out our democracy and destroy our unity and fraternity.
He said Bharat Jodo Yatra will enter J&K on January 20 and nearly 90 organisations/ groups will join Yatra in J&K.
Meanwhile a function organized by Ex-PYC president Pranav Shagotra several youth of Jammu joined Congress party.
Vikar Rasool Wani and Raman Bhalla welcomed them in the party fold. They said that in view of recent visit of Rahul Gandhi in  J&K the youth have seen a beam of light and this is the reason more and more youth are joining Congress party. They said Congress party is fast emerging as the only choice of people because of its progressive policies democratic and secular values being strengthened by the party.
They said the secularism is the strength of Indian Nation and only Congress can  lead the state and the entire nation to the path of peace, progress and prosperity by strengthening secular fabric of this country.
Senior leaders Manmohan Singh, Pawan Raina, Vijay Sharma, Kapil Singh, Sahil Sharma and Asif  Naqib were also present.  Prominent among those joined Congress are  Munaver Hussain, Arshad Hussain , Vishal Sharma, Farooq Ahmed, Ghulam Hussain, Ali Raja, Waseem, Rajiv Gupta, Surinder Gupta and others.
Meanwhile, during party function at Srinagar today several prominent people including Block Development Council Members, Sarpanchs and Panchs joined Congress Party in presence of PCC chief Vikar Rasool Wani. The party chief and other senior leaders present on the occasion, welcomed the new entrants into the party fold.