Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 12: Outraged at indifferent attitude of the bureaucracy towards them, scores of people under banner of Jammu Wine Traders Association (JWTA) staged a protest outside the office of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at Trikuta Nagar here on Monday.
Protesters raised slogans and alleged that bureaucracy under well-knit conspiracy is out to snatch the livelihood of at least 30,000, people directly-indirectly affiliated with the wine trade. Protesters included large number of women.
“Big sharks are ready to takeover J&K’s wine industry, they have paid huge bribe to UT administration to snatch our livelihood,” alleged a lady protesters. “UT administration being I a hurry to silence us clearly indicates that a big deal has been struck,” they alleged
One of the protesters said that the UT administration is “distorting” the High Court order. “The High Court while disposing off a large number of writ petitions challenging the New Excise Policy, had ordered that the licences should be renewed annually and not after five years.”
“There was no mention of the au > ‘Govt distorting High Court order on New Excise
> Policy, there is no mention of auction’
> Regional Govts were better than present regime
> Local BJP leaders have disowned us
“The Centre is ruled by the BJP and Lieutenant Governor of JK UT comes under Centre’s control. If the BJP really wants to provide opportunities to locals, who is stopping the party?” they asked.
“We were happy under our own regional governments. These governments never played any tricks with us. Since the day, J&K’s special status has been snatched and full-fledged state has been turned into a UT our lives have become miserable. The Centre is claiming that J&K has been liberated with the country but the ground realities contradict the claim”, they said.
“We don’t expect anything from outsiders (bureaucrats), but we are really surprised by local BJP leaders including MoS PMO Dr Jatinder Singh and state leadership. They have disowned us. If we can bring you into power, we can also bring you on the road and the day will come”, said angry protesters. | 