 Early Times Report
Akhnoor, Nov 9: Reiterating his demand for creation of Regional Council for Jammu, senior Congress leader and Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Sham Lal Sharma today said that time has come for the people of Jammu and its leadership to rake this genuine issue forcefully to get their dues.
Addressing series of election meetings in Akhnoor constituency, the Minister said that Jammu region has suffered lot of discrimination on development front for the past over five decades and focus of successive governments remained in Kashmir Valley. Now the time has come when the people of this region have to awake and make united efforts to get their dues. This is not possible without creation of statutory institution like separate Regional Council for Jammu.
Referring to the issues of PoJK displaced persons of 1947, 1965 and 1971, the Minister said that their genuine demand for referring the rehabilitation proposal to Central Government took over six decades and the aggrieved people suffered badly for all these years. He said only Congress party raised their voice and ultimately took this upto logical conclusion. Now that their ball is in the court of Central Government, and if the Congress forms the next government in the state, the issue will be vigorously pursued for early sanctioning of package, said the Minister.
Former MP, Madan Lal Sharma also addressed the gathering and highlighted the works done in Akhnoor constituency during the past one decade. He sought support for the Congress candidate, Sham Lal Sharma purely on the development agenda, adding that people of Akhnoor should analyze the performance of the sitting MLA on ground and then support him.
Prominent among those present in the meetings included, Ch. Pratap Singh, S. Sobha Singh, leaders of displaced persons, Shamsher Singh Chib, Congress leader, SC Cell Congress leaders, ZEO Babu Ram, Dr. K.C. Bhagat, ZEO, Krishan Lal and Monika of Congress Mahila Wing. |
