Accusing the BJP of having played a second fiddle to PDP, during its coalition rule in J&K, on varied issues including general governance, development, employment, security and policy matters, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh JKNPP Chairman and Former Minister said that the aspirations of the people of Jammu region had not only been disregarded but ruthlessly trampled upon by the saffron leadership. He said that with entire focus of both union as well as state govt on Kashmir centric issues, the people of the Dogra land were taken for granted and marginalized. He said that not only the J&K BJP leadership ignored Jammu but the central govt too remained inclined towards Kashmir with hardly any initiative taken for addressing the age old bias and prejudice against this region. He was addressing public meetings at villages Daulatchak, Nanga in Vijaypur and villages Chak Manga, Bouli in Samba after having taken out a rally in support of Party candidates Mrs. Rajni Jamwal (Vijaypur-B), Mrs. Meenu Bhagat (Ramgarh-C) and Mr. Vipan Bhagat (Samba-A) respectively.
While thousands of stone-pelters were released and amnesty given to several other separatist leaders in the name of political prisoners, said Harsh, the nationalist projects of Sainik Colony and KP Township schemes were summarily rejected and shelved under pressure of anti-national and separatist forces. It was during BJP rule that Asia Andrabi was featured amongst ‘Women Achievers’ of the country in an exhibition organized by Social Welfare Deptt and her photograph withdrawn only after the episode sparked outrage amongst the masses, he said. The most outrageous aspect of the saffron rule in J&K has been the humiliation of armed forces which shall continue to agitate the minds of nationalist people of Jammu for years to come, Mr. Singh remarked.
Flaying the BJP for its submissive posturing and lame duck approach, Mr. Singh said that not a single promise made by it during elections had been honoured or even any initiative taken to fulfill the same. And once again it was trying to use the name of Modi to work as its crutches. He said that discrimination in recruitments particularly by PSC and SSB, Delimitation of Assembly constituencies, deportation of Rohingyas, withdrawal of cases against youth booked during Amar Nath Ji land row, Artificial Tawi Lake project, Dogri satellite channel for Jammu, holiday on Maharaja Hari Singh’s birthday etc were some of the issues which were persistently being raked up even by BJP workers with no takers for the same in their own govt. “Even the saffron activists were soaked with the sweat of shame on seeing their Ministers and MLAs involved in corruption and other irregular practices. The narrative scripted by BJP leaders after their ascendance to power had given the deadliest blow to Dogra pride and honour” said Harsh. He said that BJP rule in J&K provided the most amusing spectacle with BJP crawling before PDP for power sake deliriously oblivious of the fiery speeches and choices invectives that its leadership hurled upon the Muftis and their party prior to elections. Calling upon the people to strengthen their own Jammu basted Panthers Party, Mr. Singh said that lame BJP on crutches could never protect the interests of people of Jammu. He said that after having been cradled in cozy cushions of power, the BJP leaders had divorced their fundamentals and crore philosophy which their predecessors so proudly cherished.
Mrs. Rajni Jamwal, Mrs. Meenu Bhagat and Mr. Vipan Bhagat appealed the people to strengthen NPP and vote it to power as it alone was the panacea afflicting the ills of Jammu region.
Prominent among those who addressed the meetings included Yash Paul Kundal, Rajesh Padgotra, Gagan Pratap, Mohinder Singh, Yashpaul Sharma, Khatab Hussain besides others.