Early Times Report
Jammu, May 1: Known for touching emotive issues through his own style, former Chief Minister and National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah on Monday sought to rake up Dogra sentiment by raising the issue of settling “outsiders” in the Jammu region.
“Dogra identity and Dogri culture will be history because the government is giving jobs and lands to the outsiders”, he said while replying to a question regarding the decision of the UT administration to allot flats to non-locals in Jammu.
“I am afraid that Dogra culture will be diminished from Jammu region”, he cautioned.
Making a veiled attack on former NC leader Devender Singh Rana, Dr. Abdullah asked, “Where are those who used to shout Jammu…Jammu…Dogra….Dogra?”.
Important to mention here that Devender Singh Rana being provincial president of the National Conference had vociferously raised the slogan of Jammu…Jammu while declaring the “Jammu Declaration”.
“It is really very unfortunate that BJP leaders, who earlier used to rake up discrimination with Jammu slogans, have maintained a criminal silence”, Dr. Abdullah said and chided local BJP leadership for neglecting the Jammu region.
He seized this opportunity to reach out to the people of Jammu by raking up the issue of G-20 events. He regretted that the Jammu region has been ignored in organizing events related to G-20.
“The tragedy is Centre has ignored Jammu. If G-20 events can be held in Ladakh and Kashmir Valley, why Jammu region has been singled out?”, he asked and lambasted BJP leaders for maintaining a criminal silence Centre’s move to undermine the importance of Jammu. |
