Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 4: The BJP candidate from Jammu-Reasi Parliamentary seat, Jugal Kishore Sharma today said that Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed unprecedented and unmatchable development since the Prime Minister-led NDA Government at the Centre took over the reins in 2014.
“The BJP has embarked on a mission to usher in unprecedented development in Jammu and Kashmir, aiming to transform the region’s socio-economic landscape. The party’s unwavering commitment to development in J&K post Article-370 abrogation has marked a transformative phase for the region,” Jugal said while addressing a series of public meetings at Nanak Chak, Shah Balore, Dora, Nud, Taloor, Sumb,Talote, Samlha, Arazi Samba, Mandi Thalora, Mandi Sangwali, Mandi Kelhi, Gurha Salathia in Samba district.
Slamming the opposition parties for their unfounded statements on infrastructural development being carried out by the Modi Government in the region, Jugal Sharma said Jammu and Kashmir is the only Union Territory of the country where two AIIMS-like institutions have been established, while the opening of IIT, IIM, seven new medical colleges and other prestigious institutions is the clear reflection of the holistic development agenda of the Modi Government to create not only a brighter future for the people of J&K but also ensuring their integration into the mainstream of country’s growth story.
He said the transformative change on the ground post-abrogation of Article 370 could be gauged from the fact that Jammu and Kashmir did not witness a single incident of stone pelting in 2023 while there was a 66 percent decline in terrorist incidents and an 81 percent drop in civilian killings. “The statistics are a testimony to the established peace and tranquility in the region which used to witness bloodbath, stone-pelting, and shutdowns on any given day due to misrule and mis-governance of the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre and the dynasty politics encouraged by the two families of Kashmir-Abdullah and Mufti families.
The credit of this remarkable change on ground goes to the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister,” Sharma said. He also referred to the record-breaking tourist footfall in Jammu and Kashmir during the year 2023 when an increase of over 350 percent in foreign tourists was recorded while a highest ever of 2.11 crore tourists visited the Union Territory. “A new era of peace and security has started in J&K due to the efforts of Modi. J&K is fast moving on the path of development in all the sectors. It has attained momentous and colossal, particularly in the area of connectivity, tourism and agriculture, he added.
Prominent party leaders who accompanied Jugal included Keshav Dutt DDC Chairman, Former Minister, Surjeet Singh Slathia, Kartar Chand DDC, Ramesh Chander DDC, district president, Kashmira Singh, senior BJP leaders Narayan Singh Thakur, Rashpal Verma, Manish Khajuria, Amar Singh, etc.
