 Early Times Report
JAMMU, Sept 5: In a sharp attack on the Omar Abdullah-led government, senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Gulam Ali Khatana on Friday said the administration had miserably failed to protect flood-hit families and accused the Chief Minister of treating the calamity with indifference.
Khatana carried out an extensive visit to flood-affected areas, including Lower Dawda, Lau Ragude, Gujar Nagar, Jogi Gate, Makwal Camp, Haji Naka and Gau Shala Swajan, where he met displaced families, inspected damaged homes, and assessed the ground realities.
"The devastation here is not just a natural calamity but also a political failure," Khatana asserted. "The Chief Minister has not even declared this a natural disaster. By refusing to acknowledge the gravity of the situation, Omar Abdullah has abandoned his own people and left them to suffer without relief."
Locals narrated their ordeal, saying they had lost homes, crops, and livestock, yet were receiving little to no support from the government. Many complained of delayed rescue operations, inadequate relief material, and poor coordination among departments. Khatana maintained that the apathy of the government has compounded the crisis, noting that despite visible destruction, there has been no serious effort to mobilise large-scale relief or to declare disaster-hit zones. "This is sheer negligence, bordering on cruelty. People deserve urgent relief and rehabilitation, not political excuses," he said.
The MP was joined by a delegation of senior party functionaries and community leaders including Ex-Chairman Razak Ali Putto, BJP Block President Amar Jeet Kour, Ch. Abdul Mehmood, Ashraf Chodhary, Aisf Gill, Poran Singh Chib, Haji Salam Din, Fakeer Ali, Kulbir Singh, Ex-Sarpanch Balbir Singh, Nagar Singh, Dhanter Singh, Alam Din, Bilal, Mushtaq Ahmed, Noor Hussain and Mohd Rafiq. Khatana was also accompanied by senior officers of the administration and security agencies, including representatives from the RDD, ACD, ACP, BDOs, Revenue, PWD, Police, and the Army, who provided a status update on the measures underway.
While lauding the efforts of frontline workers from the police, Army and local agencies, Khatana said the absence of decisive leadership from the top had worsened people's suffering. "Despite the resilience of our people and the tireless efforts of ground-level officers, the government's failure to declare this disaster and extend financial relief is glaring. The BJP will not remain silent," he asserted.
Khatana also assured the affected families that he would raise their plight at every possible forum, both within Parliament and outside, until the government delivers on its duty. "We will stand shoulder to shoulder with the people. Relief must reach every household, and reconstruction must begin immediately," he maintained. |
