BJP controlled J&K Admin has curbed ‘Fundamental Rights’ of people: Congress

JAMMU, JAN 13: The Jammu and Kashmir Congress, while strongly condemning the lathi charge on the members of a Congress delegation that went to meet the protesting PM Package Kashmiri Pandit employees, has said that it is a matter of serious concern that even the fundamental rights have been curbed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) controlled Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory Administration.

In a statement issued here today, the JKPCC Spokesperson Dr Jahanzaib Sirwal said that a delegation of the party comprising its senior leaders namely Shahnawaz Chaudhary, Aijaz Chaudhary, Bilal Rashid and himself while proceeding to meet the peacefully protesting Kashmiri Pandit PM package employees was stopped by the police from meeting them and when the delegation members along with some workers and activists refused to  retrieve, the police force resorted to brutal lathi charge injuring some of the party workers and the bystanders. He said that not satisfied with the brutal action, the delegation members were arrested by the police and taken into police custody in a nearby police station.

The party Spokesperson asserted that the brutal police against the peacefully marching Congress leaders to meet the peacefully protesting employees, amounts to curb on the fundamental rights of the Congress leaders. He said that it is not the lone instance the J&K Administration has put a draconian curb on the fundamental rights of the people or groups raising burning issues in order to gag their voices. He questioned the Administration for following an anti Congress agenda asking when no other party or group was stopped from meeting these KP employees who are virtually begging for mercy but the administration continues to be unmoved to address their concern, why was the Congress delegation singled out?

The Congress leader said, “We cannot leave anyone to die. The PM Package jobs were given to them by the Congress government and these employees lived in the Valley for so many years and never said they want to return to Jammu. It is only after the recent targeted killings, they have been on protest demanding their relocation outside Valley to safer destinations.” This is a quite serious concern and therefore their demand for shifting is most genuine and just. He said that Congress will continue its full support to these protesting employees till their demands are met.

The party Spokesperson asserted that JKPCC leaders, workers and activists can’t be deterred by such lathi charges and arrests and it will continue to intensify its fight against UT Administration which has left no stone unturned in curbing the fundamental rights of the people of this sensitive region.