More liquor vends would only serve interests of mafia: Harsh

Harsh Dev Singh, chairman JKNPP addressing a public meeting in a Chenani village.
Harsh Dev Singh, chairman JKNPP addressing a public meeting in a Chenani village.

Excelsior Correspondent

CHENANI, Mar 1: Reacting to the statement of some BJP leaders that opening of additional liquor shops in Jammu region would create employment avenues for the jobless youth, Harsh Dev Singh, chairman JKNPP said that all such bizarre utterances by the leaders of saffron brigade had only evoked cynicism amongst the masses.
Addressing public meetings during his tour of villages Chirdi, Narsu, Chunti, Lew, Sanada and Nala Ghoran in Chenani, Harsh Dev said that already more than 220 liquor vends are operational in Jammu region and allowing the opening of 45 more such vends in Dogra land would only serve the interests of the liquor mafia, mostly from outside J&K, as had been noticed earlier.
“While BJP’s promises of youth empowerment and their absorption in gainful employment proved hoax, the recent statements of engaging youth in liquor vends has only added insult to injury,” he maintained adding: “Daily wagers and underemployed youth including contractual employees working in PHE, PDD, I&FC, Health, Education etc are feeling cheated with repeated assurances of regularization given to them for the last several years and these employees are even deprived of the benefits of Minimum Wages Act.”
The JKNPP leader also claimed that slogan of doubling farmers’ income by 2022 has also proved a lie like the claims of providing un-interrupted power and water supply to each household in J&K.
He further said that the latest order of the Government mandating Government permission for construction of houses and shops even in rural areas has sparked massive outrage.