Jammu, March 28, 2025 – In a blistering assault on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led centre government, former Minister and working president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), Mr. Raman Bhalla, today tore into the BJP’s oft-repeated assertion of having restored normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir and alleged that terrorism to peaceful Jammu region is the gift of BJP failures.
Leading a well-attended protest march at the historic Bahu Fort in Jammu today, alongwith working president & Ex Dy CM Tara Chand, former minister Yogesh Sawhney, DCC president Manmohan Singh, Satish Sharma, T.S. Tony, Bhushan Dogra, Rajveer Singh & ors, Shri Bhalla accused the BJP of not only failing to deliver on its promises but also of “gifting terrorism” to Jammu province—a region he described as having been thrust into chaos under the party’s watch.
The protest, which saw a significant turnout of party workers and local residents, was a direct response to the deteriorating security situation in the Jammu region, marked by a series of terror attacks and ongoing encounters between security forces and terrorists.
The protest was organised by Block Presidents Latish Sharma & Pardeep Bhalla under the guidance of DCC Urban,which raised strong slogans against terrorism & Pakistan besides highlighting the failure of the central government to check the deterioration of the situation in Jammu region.
Bhalla seized the opportunity to highlight what he termed the BJP’s “monumental failure,” pointing to the recent spate of violence as evidence that the party’s claims of peace and stability were nothing more than political rhetoric.
“The BJP has been trumpeting its so-called success in bringing normalcy to Jammu and Kashmir, but the reality is laid bare by the sound of gunfire and the blood of our brave policemen,” Bhalla declared, his voice resonating with indignation as he addressed the crowd.
Central to Bhalla’s critique was the alarming rise of terrorism in the Jammu province, an area that had historically remained relatively insulated from the violence that long plagued the Kashmir Valley.
He cited ongoing encounters in Kathua and Reasi districts as glaring examples of the BJP’s inability to safeguard the region. In Kathua, security forces have been locked in intense operations at two separate locations, while in Reasi, another encounter has added to the growing sense of unease.
The human toll of these clashes was a focal point of Bhalla’s address, as he mourned the martyrdom of four Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty. “These brave souls laid down their lives because the BJP has failed to protect Jammu from the scourge of terrorism,” he said, his tone heavy with sorrow and resolve. “Their sacrifice is a grim reminder of the price we are paying for the BJP’s hollow promises.”
The former minister did not hold back in framing the resurgence of terrorism in Jammu as the “only noticeable achievement” of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
He argued that far from ushering in an era of peace and prosperity, the BJP’s policies had instead sown the seeds of instability in a region that had once been a bastion of calm. “Jammu was a peaceful land, a place where people lived without the shadow of terror,” he remarked. “But under the BJP’s rule, it has been dragged into the same vortex of violence that we had hoped to leave behind. This is not progress—it is a betrayal.”
Tara Chand in hus address said that the Hamari Riyasat Hamara Haq campaign, launched by the JKPCC, is aimed at amplifying the voices of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who, , have been let down by a government more focused on political posturing than addressing their grievances.
The choice of Bahu Fort as the venue for the protest march carried symbolic weight—standing as a testament to Jammu’s rich history and resilience, it served as a poignant backdrop for party’s call to action.
“We are here to remind the BJP that this is our state, and we will not sit silently while they dismantle the peace and security we once knew,” he asserted, rallying the crowd to join the Congress in its fight for accountability and justice.
Yogesh Sawhney said that the ruling party has frequently pointed to the decline in stone-pelting incidents in the Kashmir Valley and the influx of tourists as markers of success. However, sawhney, countered this narrative by arguing that any gains in Kashmir were being overshadowed by the creeping instability in Jammu. “The BJP cannot cherry-pick its achievements while ignoring the fires burning in Jammu,” he said. “Terror attacks occurring at repeated intervals across the province are not isolated incidents—they are a pattern, a damning indictment of this government’s incompetence.”
Th Manmohan Sungh said the ongoing encounters in Kathua and Reasi have only intensified the scrutiny on the BJP’s security strategy. In Kathua, a district that shares a porous border with Pakistan, security forces have been engaged in prolonged operations to neutralize militants, with reports suggesting a possible infiltration attempt. Meanwhile, in Reasi, known for its religious significance due to the Vaishno Devi shrine, the presence of terrorists has sparked fears of a broader escalation. The loss of four policemen in these encounters has struck a chord with the public, amplifying calls for a reassessment of the measures in place to combat militancy. Bhalla seized on this sentiment, questioning why the BJP had allowed the situation to spiral out of control. “If the government had been proactive, if they had honored their commitment to the people, these lives could have been saved,” he said.
The Congress leaders vowed that the party would continue to press the BJP on its failures, both on the streets and in the political arena. The program was organized by Latish Sharma and Pardeep Bhalla, block presidents, under the guidance of Dist President Jammu Urban Th. Manmohan Singh.
Among others who participated in the protest include Ricky Dalotra, Vijay Sharma, Jatinder Chib, Pawan Dev Singh, Diwan Chand, Sonu Dogra, Atul Sharma, Pawan Sharma, Balbir Singh Bali, Rinku Singh, Mangat Ram, Aman Bawa, Sunny Mahajan, and V.S. Kundal. KK Jogi, Gurdeep Singh, Shamsher Chand, Shashi Syal, and others