* Border relief insufficient, cosmetic
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 7: Raising questions over the neglect of the most popular demand of people of J&K regarding restoration of Statehood by the Prime Minister Modi, during his speech on Friday, Congress asked the Central Govt to fulfill it’s promise and commitment in this regard, without further delay.
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Addressing a press conference at PCC office here today senior party leaders Raman Bhalla, Mula Ram, Yogesh Sawhney and Ravinder Sharma, questioned total ignoring the promised Statehood to J&K after around six years of the downgrading of historical Dogra State. There is strong resentment amongst people over the Prime Minister ‘s neglect of the popular demand.
“They talk of fulfilling dream of Dogra rulers about Railway project but don’t talk of the restoration historical Dogra state which was disbanded, divided and downgraded by BJP,” PCC leaders said.
Working president Raman Bhalla said that BJP MLAs are silent spectators to the betrayal of the mandate of people, who were promised Statehood immediately after Assembly elections. The dual control system in J&K UT has left the people suffering even after eight months of Assembly elections and it’s insult to the mandate of people shaking their confidence in such a democratic set up.
Bhalla said that rights and Constitutional safeguards being sought and extended to Ladakh UT is justified but why discrimination with J&K UT as regards protection to land, jobs and natural resources.
The Congress leaders said that Congress has been seeking a comprehensive package for the relief and rehabilitation of affected people especially in border districts of Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, Kupwara besides Jammu, Samba and Kathua, including special recruitment package but only eye wash was done by announcing two lakh for fully damaged and one lakh for partially damaged houses, which is insufficient and inadequate.
They also referred to the various promises by BJP’ and Modi Government before Assembly elections to the unemployed youth, daily, adhock, contractuals and other temporary employees, all are suffering in the absence of funds and required powers.
Referring to the Udhampur, Srinagar-Baramulla rail project, they said that rail link from Pathankot to Jammu was completed in 1972 by Indira Gandhi and also sanctioned by her to Udhampur, which was inaugurated by then PM Manmohan Singh in 2005. While Udhampur- Srinagar-Baramulla was sanctioned by PV Narsimha Rao while it was completed upto Katra on one side and between Banihal to Baramulla on other before 2014.
They said that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh came here five times to inaugurate the different stretches of this project upto Baramulla and Omar Abdullah accompanied him four times as Chief Minister. Out of 272 kms, over 160 kms the train was running before Modi Government took over .
The UPA Government carried out massive development in J&K in all spheres and set up mega power projects, health, education infrastructure besides road & railway connectivity and no one can negate it,even though Modi Government is trying to own up everything and claim credit for the major achievements of Congress.
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