LAKHANPUR JUNE 20TH: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference today kick-started its campaign for the upcoming Urban Local Body (ULB) polls in the state by holding a day-long convention at Lakhanpur-the gateway of Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a gathering at Lakhanpur, the senior NC leader and Provincial President Jammu Mr Rattan Lal Gupta raised concerns about the democratic deprivation of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who have been living under Central rule for the past five years, which is the second-longest presidential rule in the country since independence. He mentioned that the UT has not had Assembly elections for over five years now which is a major setback for the democratic process. With no local government in place, the people of Jammu and Kashmir are being deprived of the right to choose their own representatives, creating a sense of disillusionment and instability among the public.
Raising serious concern over the statement given by the Union Minister for Housing on setting up industry, receiving huge amount as investment, and providing jobs to youths in J&K, Rattan Lal asked the Government at the center to come forward and share figures on the number of industries set-up in the UT, investment received and jobs provided to the unemployed as circumstantial statements have no relevance and are of no use.
“Unemployment has touched new heights under PM Modi but strangely his ministers say things contrary to reality thinking as if people of the country are deaf and dumb”, he said adding that BJP Government should do homework to make sure their ministers don’t share twisted information on different occasions, leading to embarrassment of BJP’s high command.
Rattan Lal asked H S Puri, who is holding the Housing Ministry, to stop wasting money of people in the name of Smart City in Jammu as one hour of rain has inundated several areas of the city marked as Smart by the concerned authorities. He also raised the issue of a monologue by LG Sinha in the name of Awaam Ki Awaz claiming that no one pays any attention to this duplicity of the helmsman as people are busy confronting problems created by the government like inflation, joblessness, Shortage of drinking water, cut unscheduled electricity, the issue of regularization of daily wagers etc.
.The senior NC leader has assured the people that the Party will roll back property tax imposed undemocratically without consulting elected representatives of ULB, if the party voted to power in the upcoming ULB elections in Jammu and Kashmir. He asked people to support the party in the upcoming polls for the welfare of common masses.
Earlier, District President Kathua Ajeet Kumar and District Secretary K.K Bakshi apprised the senior functionary of the Party about the problems being faced by the people of the district Kathua. He said that people are confronting the non-availability of basic amenities like power and drinking water and a lack of healthcare facilities. Other issues which came up for discussion include the dilapidated condition of roads in the District and the dearth of Govt ration, etc. The function was organized by Devender Mehta Block President Lakhanpur.
Sheikh Bashir Ahmed, Provincial Secretary JKNC, Jammu, asked people to support and strengthen the hands of Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah. He asked the party works to remain in public to address issues.
Mr Pardeep Bali said that J&K’s youths have become the victims of recruitment scams and have lost hope for getting recruitment in the government sector as BJP leaders which used to promise jobs have started suggesting them to become job providers rather than seekers proving amply that their party has surrendered on this issue despite PM Modi promise of 2 crore jobs every year for the youths of the country.
Addressing the gathering Mr Vijay Lochan P.P SC cell said that during the regime of LG, the scheduled caste and depressed classes are badly affected because the centre-sponsored schemes are ignored and no benefit is received by the poor society.
The senior NC leader said that today’s campaign was launched by the Party and aims to generate awareness among the masses regarding the upcoming elections to the Local Bodies across the state, and thus, encourages citizens to actively participate in the electoral process.
Those who were present in the meeting included: S. Harjeet Singh, Subash Chander Azad District President SC Cell Kathua, Shakeel Tony Block President Kathua, Mohd Sharief Bania District President ST Cell Kathua, Pardeep Kesar, Ch. Pyare Singh, Basant Ram, and others.