Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Feb 21: Nowshera town continued complete bandh and protest demonstration on the 6th consecutive day today against the denial of the post of Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) to this Sub-Division by the Government.
People including members of Beopar Mandal, Bar Association and SD Sabha besides others took out a symbolic funeral procession of BJP-PDP Govt in the town in protest against the denial of ADC’s post to Click here to watch video Nowshera and selecting Kotranka under political considerations. The shops and other business establishments in the main bazaar and adjoining markets of Nowshera town remained closed while the agitating people including youth/ college students also joined the protest march (Shav Yatra) taken out in the main bazaar during the day. The Joint Action Committee including members from Beopar Mandal, Bar Association, Sanatan Dharam Sabha, Nowshera besides several local political and social organisations have joined hands to launch united struggle.
The people of this Sub- Division are protesting against the Govt decision to sanction ADC’s post to Kotranka (Kandi), ignoring the largest Sub Division- Nowshera in district Rajouri. The movement of vehicles was also stalled by the protesting people. The protest dharna in the tehsil and SDM office complex also affected the functioning in these offices.
A large number of people of the area are sitting in the Tehsil office complex on indefinite protest dharna. They have raised tents at the venue of dharna. They raised slogans against the Govt and also in support of their demand. They are demanding sanctioning of ADC’s post for Nowshera.
The speakers claimed that district administration had assured that the issue has been taken with the higher authorities and it would be resolved shortly, most likely in next cabinet meeting but it was just an attempt to befool the public and suspend their agitation a week ago. They said the Govt was just buying time. They claimed that Nowshera was old Tehsil and Sub Division in the area. It should have been upgraded as district. He claimed that before Kotranka, Nowshera deserved to be upgraded for the creation of the post of ADC.
The people have now decided to shift their protest dharna to the National Highway near Nowshera bridge.
Meanwhile, people from Sunderbani have also decided to launch indefinite agitation from Feb 25, in support of their demand to provide ADC’s post at Sunderbani.