No compromise with interests of any sub-region of Jammu: Rana

NC Provincial President Devender Singh Rana addressing party workers on Saturday.
NC Provincial President Devender Singh Rana addressing party workers on Saturday.

Excelsior Correspondent
BATOTE, Jan 16: Saying that the National Conference will not compromise with the interests of any sub-region of the Jammu division, Provincial President Devender Singh Rana today sought a special and comprehensive development package for the Chenab Valley and Pir-Panchal regions.
“Developmental and economic aspirations of both the regions of Jammu and Kashmir and their sub-regions are sacrosanct and each one of them should get equitable proportion of funds for implementation of various projects and welfare schemes as a matter of their right”, Rana said while addressing the party workers here this afternoon.
The Provincial President recalled the developmental strategy adopted during various stints of the National Conference Government and said the impact is visible in every nook and corner of the two regions. The projects and utility services speak for themselves and stand testimony to the intent of the party to reach out to each area and every segment of the society. The strong and dependable developmental edifice is because of the efforts of the successive National Conference governments, he said and regretted that these initiatives have received huge dent in the past six years due to developmental and administrative inertia.
Rana blamed the BJP for pushing Jammu and Kashmir backwards and ignoring legitimate interests of the people. This has recoiled and bounced back in the recently held District Development Council elections with people giving the party a befitting reply for its governance deficit and backtracking of promises. The electors have trashed the slogan of, what the BJP called referendum on the August 5, 2019 decisions, but immediately after the poll outcome they shamelessly took a U-turn and tagged the elections to grass roots level democratic institutions as an exercise for development.
On the contrary, Rana said the National Conference fought these elections of the developmental plank with local cadre managing the campaigns unlike the BJP which chartered who’s who of the party from New Delhi and the other states to seek votes in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “This speaks of the loss of credibility of the local BJP rank and file”, he added.
The Provincial President advised the BJP to learn a lesson from history and engage itself for prosperity of the people rather than creating a divide among them on the basis of religion, region and cast. Before taking high moral grandstanding on holding the DDC elections, they should remember that the concept was given by Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah by constituting District Development Boards in 1977, first time across the country. “They must respect history and not attempt to rewrite it”, he added.
The Provincial President complimented and congratulated Dr Shamshad Shan DDC Councilor Sangaldan, Mohd Shafi, DDC Councillor Rajgarh, Jagbeer Sass DDC Councillor Batote, Shameem Akthar,DDC Councillor Gandri, Sakhi Mohd DDC Councillor Gool, Parveen Begum DDC Councillor Khari for their impressive victory, hoping they will come up to the expectations of the people by devoting themselves in holistic development of the area concerned.