 Early Times Report
Rajouri, Mar 26: Now the residents of Budhal and its adjoining areas in Rajouri district have started protest dharna in favour of tehsil status for alleging that their right was snatched in 1972 when the tehsil offices were shifted to Kotranka town.
To spearhead their struggle, a joint action committee (JAC) was framed by the people of Budhal which today organised a peaceful sit in dharna in the office of Naib Tehsildar to highlight their demand for tehsil status. Few members of the JAC, despite their affiliations with different political organisations and social organisations have joined the struggle, includes Waqatr Lone, Manzoor Qazi, Mohd Farooq Inqallabi, Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din, Joginder Pal, Mohd Latif, Kundan Lal , Javed malik, retd Capt Manzoor Malik etc. Members of JAC alleged that Budahl was the Niabat before 1938 when Rajouri district had no existence.
"In 1966 Budhal was given the status of Tehsil but some political leaders for their vested interests had shifted the tehsil offices to Kotranka town about 20 kilometres from Budhal" said JAC members. During election campaign the matter was raised before Ch. Zulfikar Ali Choudhry and Mehbooba Mufti and both had assured Tehsil status within three months if voted to power, but the promises remained hollow till today, added JAC members. They further said that previous state government headed by Omar Abdullah had announced new administrative units and among 70 new tehsils were announced Budhal was on the top but no action was taken in this matter. Some activists from PDP party have also expressed their resentment against party leadership, Ch Zulfikar Ali and state government and also warn to resign from party cadre if the Tehsil status was not resorted to Budhal. |
