 Early Times Report
Jammu, Jun 25: Describing the All Party Meet chaired by PM Narendra Modi at New Delhi as damp squib, scores of Panther activists led by Harsh Dev Singh chairman-JKNPP staged a protest demonstration in Jammu today while alleging total neglect of Jammu region and its issues in the said meeting.
The infuriated protesters while raising slogans against the BJP torched the effigy of the Central govt. The protestors raised slogans of “BJP govt hai hai”, “Jammu se doori kab mitegi, kab mitegi” and so on.
Speaking to the media, Harsh Dev Singh lashed out at the BJP for organizing an APM with great fanfare which ultimately yielded no results. He said it had largely demoralized the people of Jammu region whose aspirations did not find even a mention by the hosts including the PM himself.
“Bhim Singh who represented JKNPP was the last speaker who hardly got the time to project the aspirations and issues of Jammu region which unfortunately faced a total eclipse. He was pitted against 13 leaders to placate Kashmir valley at the APM which showcased minimal representation from Jammu region with local BJP leaders as mute spectators”, Harsh said.
He said that with entire focus on Kashmir centric leaders, the APM had completely disregarded the sentiments of Jammu region which gave the BJP an unprecedented mandate with two MPs and 25 seats in the Assembly.
Describing the APM as ‘tea and scone party’, Harsh Dev Singh said that the much hyped ice breaking dialogue process post abrogation of special status of the State of JK had nothing new to offer.
“What happened to ‘bara’ (big) in the meeting which had triggered euphoria among the masses that some paradigm political change was going to happen in Jammu region’s favour? It was only the delimitation followed by Assembly elections which was discussed in the meeting only to validate the ongoing exercise. Had the deadline for the completion of the delimitation process been spelled out in the meeting, it would have made some sense but it seemed that the much trumpeted APM was played to the galleries for mere public and media consumption”, Harsh rued.
With uncertainty prevailing over the restoration of Statehood to JK despite collective demand of all the parties at the APM, he said that the BJP showed no interest to assuage the hurt sentiments of the people.
“The intention of BJP is malafide as it has been averse to the woes of the people who had heavily mandated it to power. The invitation to the leaders at APM which BJP dubbed as ‘Gupkar Gang’ on the rationale that it endorsed the ideology of the secessionists once again exposed the Saffron party for its duplicity and dual character. Have you absolved them from all the metaphors like traitors, anti-nationals and goons, asked Harsh.
Referring to the olive branch extended to the Kashmiri leaders by the Prime Minister with invitation to them in New Delhi, Singh regretted that the slogans of removal of ‘Dilli ki Duri’ and ‘Dil ki Duri’ emanating out of the APM were nothing but a dirty politics of appeasement played to keep the Valley leaders in a good humour. With PM Modi and leaders of PAGD attempting to please one another, the Jammu region issues receded into the oblivion, said Harsh.
Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion included Rajesh Padgotra, Gagan Pratap Singh, Khajoor Singh, Rajeshwar Sambyal, Bhavishan Singh, Mohinder Singh, Vishab Singh, Rakesh Gupta, Rajesh Gondhi, Shankaar Singh, Rashpaul Singh, Man Singh, Rattan Singh, Gurjeet Singh, Manjit Kumar, Gurdeep Singh, Satpaul Singh, Sajan Kumar, Raman Kumar, Vijay Singh, Dalip Kumar besides others. |
