Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 15: BJP State Spokesman, Brig (Retd) Anil Gupta today reiterated his demand of conferring the highest national award Bharat Rana to Sher Duggar Pt Prem Nath Dogra who struggled his whole life for abrogation of Article 370 and total integration of the State with Indian Union.
In a statement issued here, today he said on October, 24 the 135th birthday of the great Dogra leader will be celebrated. Only a week later, the entire nation would be celebrating abrogation of article 370, for which Pandit Prem Nath Dogra struggled throughout his life. It will be a befitting occasion to confer the highest national award, Bharat Ratna, to Pandit Prem Nath Dogra, Brig Gupta added.
He said the legendary Dogra leader was the first leader from J&K to raise voice against Article 370 and struggled to ensure total integration of the State with rest of the country after the Maharaja was forced to live in exile and State’s administration was taken over by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah who harboured different ideas. Pandit Ji was a great visionary and was quick enough to understand the intent of Sheikh Abdullah and National Conference and dared to make public his apprehensions, stated Brig Gupta.
He further added that because of his blind love for the Sheikh, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India did not pay much heed initially to the apprehensions expressed by Pandit Prem Nath Dogra but later had to regret his decision by putting Sheikh Abdullah under arrest.
Resentful of the autocratic behaviour of Sheikh completely ignoring and side lining the other two regions of the State, Pandit Ji united the people of Jammu and launched a strong agitation against Abdullah’s Government. Raising the slogan of “Ek Vidhan, Ek Pradhan, Ek Nishan” (One Constitution, One President, One Flag), Pandit Ji spearheaded the agitation under the banner of Praja Parishad and called for extension of all provisions of the Constitution of India to the State. The clarion call given by Pandit Ji ensured the unity of the nation by keeping under check the manipulations of National Conference which included the loud thinking by Sheikh of getting the State out of Indian Union, stated Brig Gupta. Because of the great struggle by Pandit Ji attempt to create a wall between the State and the rest of India was demolished, he added.
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