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| BJP’s plan to block PC’s visit fizzles out | | |
ARTEEV SHARMA
JAMMU, Feb 17: Much ado about nothing! And the maxim came true once again on Jammu roads when the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s cavalcade whizzed past without any ruckus leaving 250-300 odd BJP supporters bewildered at Bikram Chowk who had assembled at the venue to disrupt his visit, a plan that was in making since Chidambaram’s statement has come up for amnesty to militants.
The state BJP unit had announced that it would resist the Union Home Minister’s entry into Jammu tooth and nail to express its resentment against his endorsement to Chief Minister Omar Abullah’s proposal of amnesty for Kashmiri militants.
The 11 MLAs who also had put in a solemn pledge to put up a brave front against his entry in the state today too failed to kick start the move. Four out the 11 of the strong contingent were missing leaving their supporters in lurch to do and what not to.
“As the much-hyped call given by the party to gherao Chidambaram on his visit fizzled out as weak resistance, it would definitely send a wrong impression among the general public and it does not augur well for party prospect in ensuing local bodies’ elections,” said a senior BJP leader on the condition of anonymity.
A handful of supporters were held at bay by 50 to 7 odd police cops present at the venue, who prevented them to make any untoward movement to interrupt the Union Home Minister’s cavalcade.
Led by Leader of BJP Legislature Party, Chaman Lal Gupta, the activists including senior leaders, state office bearers, MLAs, district presidents, BJYM and Mahila Morcha leaders and councillor continued to raise slogans against the Central and State Governments even after giving safe passage to the Union Home Minister.
Addressing the protestors, Chaman Lal Gupta however, claimed that the protest was organised to stop UPA government from taking any such decision which promotes gun culture, demoralizes the security forces and weakens the country’s sovereignty over Jammu and Kashmir.
He also took a dig at the Congress for supporting surrender policy and cautioned that it would not be acceptable to the nation and BJP as a responsible opposition would fight such policies of Congress tooth and nail.
The senior BJP leader regretted said that it is very unfortunate that the Congress never had a clear Kashmir policy and questioned the Congress to explain as to why Jammu and Kashmir was given special status when it, too, is an integral part of the country like other states. He further declared that the BJP would further intensify its agitation in the coming days if the government fails to abandon the decision to implement surrender policy.
In his address, Ashok Khajuria, former state president asked the UPA government to abandon the idea of giving effect to the surrender policy and rather concentrate on the welfare of the peace loving, nationalist people in the country.
Later, all of the stranded supporters later courted arrest and were shifted in four police buses.
The BJP state chief, Shamsher Singh and Deputy Leader of BJP Legislature Party, Jugal Kishore Sharma were at Indore attending national executive meet whereas the remaining 10 MLAs though present in Jammu, only six could make to the venue despite a collective pledge by all to remain present to thwart the Union Home minister’s entry into the state.
Party insiders said that as per party’s earlier plan, the Union Home Minister was to be gheraoed at the airport itself and for the purpose it was ‘making consensuses among its cadres and supporters for strength of nearly 1500-2000 to remain present on the occasion.
“What exactly forced the party to change its idea from 2000 at Jammu Airport to 300 odd supporters at Bikram Chowk could not be established,” they lamented.
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