Nishikant Khajuria
KATHUA, July 9: Calling for collective fight against terrorism regardless of political affiliation, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh today warned that temptations to use terror for political gains are bound to boomerang.
“Those who are tempted to use the bogey of terrorism to clandestinely promote their political interests, would do well to realize that such a mis-venture is bound to boomerang on them, sooner or later,” he said while talking to media persons on sidelines of a function, here today, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen’s poster boy Burhan Wani was shot dead in Kokernag with subsequent protests in Valley amidst controversial tweets by former Chief Minister and National Conference working president Omar Abdullah.
Dr Jitendra Singh said history bears evidence that those who tend to justify terrorism directly or indirectly, or tend to draw subjective demarcations between “good terrorism” and “bad terrorism” ended up themselves becoming victims of this menace.
Lauding the security forces for their spectacular achievements on counter terrorism front, the Union Minister said all sections of society must come together in the fight against terrorism, regardless of their political affiliation. “The fight against terrorism is universal and it has to be fought collectively and all sections of society regardless of their ideology must come together and unitedly fight it,” he said.
Hoping that the decision to suspend Amarnath Yatra would not long last, Dr Jitendra Singh expressed full confidence in the capability of State Government and the security agencies to get the situation back to normal in the Valley very soon.
On providing security at living places for minorities, including colonies of Kashmiri Pandit employees in the Valley, the Union Minister said that it was the responsibility of State Government as well as society to ensure safety and protection of all sections of society, particularly the minorities living in the Valley.
Earlier, Dr Jitendra Singh- the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, while addressing a programme organized to highlight the progress of “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” and other Central Government schemes in the district, announced J&K’s first-ever Seed unit for Kathua.
He informed that letter to this effect has been issued by Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and the District Administration has also identified two -acre piece of land for the purpose near Kathua city.
Dr Jitendra Singh, who represents Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary seat, said that Kathua is an important nucleus center of this Lok Sabha constituency and in the last two years, it is credited for having been bestowed with several “firsts” in the State. “For example, the first Bio-tech Park of J&K is to come up at Gati near here and the game-changer Keediyan-Gadhiyal bridge near Lakhanpur is the first of its kind inter-State bridge. Similarly, the Seed Processing Unit, to be set up here will also be the first of its kind in J&K,” he explained.
With the setting up of this Unit, Dr Jitendra Singh added, not only the farmers here but even in neighboring States like Himachal Pradesh, will be able to procure high quality seed for cultivation. “In addition, the Unit will also generate employment avenues for the youth,” he added and advised Deputy Commissioner Kathua to expedite the process of registering “Soil Health Cards” for farmers.
In response to a demand by local MLA, Rajeev Jasrotia for more funds for upcoming “Dreamland Park” in the town, Dr Jitendra Singh said, he had already allocated Rs 40 lakh from his MP-LAD fund and will also try to give as much more as possible.
Dr Singh regretted that he had given Rs 34 lakh from MP-LAD fund to the Railway Department for construction of passenger benches and sheds at Kathua and Udhampur Railway Stations, but one year has passed and till date, there is no progress. He asked Deputy Commissioner to immediately follow-up the matter with local Railway authorities.
The Union Minister also referred to the installation of computers by him in three schools in the district and completion of over 200 Sulabh toilets out of 1120 in the first phase in border areas of the district.
Rajeev Jasrotia, MLA Kathua, lauded Dr Jitendra Singh for the promptness with which during just few weeks of additional charge of Sports Ministry with him, he had sanctioned 22 indoor Stadiums for J&K, thereby ensuring one Stadium each for the 22 district headquarters in the State. He hoped that the State Government will follow up this order expeditiously.
Deputy Commissioner Kathua Ramesh Kumar assured Dr Jitendra Singh that, as desired by the latter, the district will achieve the target of 100 percent rural electrification under “Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana” by March 2017.
On the occasion, “Baby Care” kits and clothes were distributed to the mothers of new born babies as a part of “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” programme.
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