Congress Party Throws Its Weight Behind Aug 26 Bandh, Demands Release of Detained YRS Leaders and Urgent Action on Key Issues
25-08-2023 : The Congress Party has taken a resolute stance, demanding the immediate release of detained Yuva Rajput Sabha (YRS) leaders. Additionally, the party has voiced its support for the planned bandh (shutdown) on August 26, with the agenda encompassing the unconditional release of these leaders, the elimination of the Sarore Toll Plaza, as well as the pressing matters concerning Smart Meters and Property Tax.
This pivotal announcement was conveyed during a press briefing held at the party’s headquarters, represented by Jammu & Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Chief Spokesperson Ravinder Sharma. Standing alongside senior Congress leaders, including Vinod Sharma, the Incharge of the headquarters, Ved Mahajan, Ex-Member of Legislative Council (MLC), Kapil Singh, spokesperson, Neeraj Gupta, PCC secretary, and I/C Media Coordination, the party underlined its united stance.
Unreservedly endorsing the upcoming bandh, Ravinder Sharma decried the arrests and detention of YRS leaders as arbitrary and unlawful, highlighting the hostile approach of the LG administration towards legitimate public grievances.
Drawing attention to a significant statement made by the Road Transport Minister, Nitin Gadkari, in response to a question posed by Congress MP Jebi Mathur in the Lok Sabha the previous year, Sharma presented newspaper clippings. Gadkari had committed to the Parliament that Toll Plazas within a radius of less than 60 kilometers would be removed within three months. However, despite more than a year and five months having transpired, this commitment remains unimplemented.
Sharma highlighted that in the past year, both transporters and the Congress party had protested at the Sarore Toll Plaza demanding its removal, but the government remained obstinate. The Yuva Rajput Sabha subsequently embarked on a movement to push for the implementation of the minister’s commitment, particularly following the collapse of the Tarnah bridge, which has elongated travel time between Kathua and Jammu to over four hours. Dishearteningly, the Sabha’s members were arrested and detained, underscoring the administration’s stance toward peace-loving individuals in Jammu.
In a direct reproach of the BJP, Sharma criticized the party for its failure to safeguard the rights and interests of the people, especially within a bureaucratic regime that follows the center government’s directives. He raised the question of where the public should turn when there is an apparent lack of representation for them. He reminded the BJP that the Sarore Toll Plaza was initially protested against and abandoned by them, only to be reinstalled after they assumed power.
Turning to the issues of Smart Meters and Property Tax, Sharma condemned the administration’s intransigence in the face of public concerns. The Congress party has already taken to the streets to highlight these matters of general interest, yet the administration remains unyielding. In the context of an environment characterized by soaring inflation and unemployment, exacerbated by unprecedented taxes, the people of Jammu find themselves beleaguered on multiple fronts.
The party has implored the general public to wholeheartedly support the upcoming bandh, viewing it as a necessary step to compel the recognition and resolution of the genuine demands of the public at large.
