Every section of society fed up with anti-people BJP govt in J&K : Bhalla BJP only knows to blow trumpets but does nothing

Jammu: Former Minister and senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla Tuesday termed BJP Govt’s reach-out programme claiming to change the destiny of the people of J&K political gimmick to befool the masses. Former Minister on Tuesday interacted with prominent persons of Azad Nagar Ward-73 of Gandhi Nagar constituency as a part of his door to door campaign to listen to grievances of people of the constituency. Prominent among those present on the occasion include  Amrit Bali  Block President, Vijay Singh Chib Pawan Bhagat,  Dharam Paul, Karan Singh Chib,  Ram Dayal, Pankaj Sahni, Aman Nayak,Chitnaya Nayak, Sparsh Sahni, Vijay Kumar. Speaking on the occasion, Bhalla said that like the much-touted Back to Village (B2V) programme, reach-out exercise will also be a flop show. He said such events so far have proved mere eyewash to divert the attention of the people from the complete failure of the BJP. Terming it futile exercise, Bhalla said, “It has been one year since Article 370 was abrogated what has been done since then. The BJP only knows to blow trumpets but does nothing,” he added. He said at a time when unemployment is on the rise in Jammu and Kashmir and people are not being paid their salaries, the J&K Government is busy in political events.

 Former Minister accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of weakening grassroots democracy under the garb of the ‘Back to Village’ programme. “The government in the Centre has created an atmosphere of mistrust among common people under the garb of the ‘Back to Village’ programme by weakening democracy at grass roots,” he alleged. He said the government has given a big hype to the ‘Back to Village’ programme and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had mentioned it in “Mann Ki Baat” event, but the former proved disastrous. “Sarpanches and panches had high hopes when the ‘Back to Village’ programme was started in June 2019. Even to their surprise, issues raised during the event have not been addressed to date,” he said. “Now, the government is again going to start reach out programme, but sarpanches, panches and even residents are asking what happened to the problems brought forth in June, ” said Bhalla. “The MGNREGA payments are still pending in crores,” Bhalla lambasted the BJP saying the mainstream opposition parties and leaders are not free to carry out routine political activities due to restrictions and “vindictive steps” of the government. However, the BJP government tries to engage the people in such “meaningless photo-ops”, thus keeping the entire administrative machinery especially field functionaries on the tenterhooks instead of attending to the problems of the local population.Bhalla questioned the benefits of reach-out programmes to the people at the huge expense of taxpayers’ money as such events had nothing to offer to the people except to inaugurate the petty developmental works, a job meant to be carried out by a local sarpanch”.He said the lack of interest and response of the general public reflected the people’s wisdom as they had realized the “publicity stunt” of the BJP government, he added.He  also questioned the different yardsticks in the matter of basic security cover to opposition leaders in this sensitive region.”Which democracy permits different yardsticks in the matter of security cover to the same category of people, who are vulnerable to the designs of terrorists due to their political role?” he asked. He announced that Congress would go ahead with its declared goal of seeking statehood with full constitutional safeguards for the protection of rights of the local youth over land and government jobs. He accused the ruling dispensation of failing to create political space and taking away the rights of the local people as well as the basic identity of a historical state and downgrading it into a UT. The BJP led NDA Government has betrayed and cheated the refugees of 1947, 1965 & 1971 from PoK and those from West Pakistan. Bhalla said that the package of the one-time settlement of refugees of 1947, 1965 and 1971 comprising financial assistance/ex-gratia relief of Rs 25 lakhs per family amounting to over Rs 9000 crore along with several other concessions including reservation to their wards was recommended by the previous Congress government to the Centre, after a hot pursuit by the Congress and various organization of refugees. He said BJP which promised to ensure one-time settlement of refugees from PoK including those from Chhamb area, before the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, has betrayed them. Soon after coming to power, the Modi Government had returned the package to the State Government without any reason, adding insult to their injuries. Bhalla pointed out that the package of ex-gratia recommended by the Congress  Govt for the PoK refugee families alone was to the extent of over 9000 crores but the present Centre Government failed to grant the same.Bhalla said the growing disappointment among people against BJP over governance deficit has completely unnerved the non-performing BJP Govt. Instead of getting into the functional mode, the Government is struggling to put its act together by indulging in patch-work and cosmetic makeover in a bid to be seen in command of the situation. Bhalla today expressed anguish over BJP Government towards the plight of people residing along Line of Control and International Border, saying the promises of raising shelter sheds, constructing bunkers and providing five marla pots have proven hoax during the past more than six years.“The border dwellers are living under perpetual threat with farming coming to standstill, economic activity going disarray and schooling of children taking a big hit for years now”,  Bhalla said  .He said the insensitive dispensation has failed in feeling the pulse of the people who are anguished over forgetting the promises made by BJP stalwarts from top in the high command down in the State leadership during 2014 Parliamentary and Assembly elections and thereafter with regard to provision of five marla plots and reservation for their wards in professional courses and Government jobs. The callousness of the Government towards residents is a classic example of the duplicity and deception of the BJP, which has mastered in exploitation, he added.

“We fail to understand the rationale behind reducing the recommended Rs 9025 crore to just Rs 2000 crore”, he said and castigated the BJP for creating euphoria before the 2014 elections and ignoring all commitments after coming to power at the Centre and in Jammu and Kashmir.Bhalla said that Congress alone can steer out the State out of the morass it has been brought in by BJP dispensation. He said his party firmly believes in assuaging the distinct urges and aspirations of all segments of the society. Cautioning the people against duplicity of the BJP, Bhalla described its developmental slogan just a façade, saying it exists on the plank of exploitative and divisive politics.He said it doesn’t matter for the BJP whether J&K progresses or not; the only thing that matters is how the party will benefit by playing politics and indulging in mudslinging against different segments of society, as it did in 2014. He urged upon the Union Government to release pending Rs 9096 crore package in favour of refugees without any delay.

 Former Minister alleged that every section of the society, including farmers, traders, and youth are suffering because of the “anti-people policies” of government. The situation in J&K is going from bad to worse,” he alleged. Taking potshots over BJP for its failures to honour the public commitments and issues affecting the common people, Bhalla said that the ruling party stands exposed for its dual speak and standards on various issues as their own electorate oppose and rejected such actions but the ruling party remains indifferent. He said that day in and day out such actions are being taken and the orders are issued against the interests and aspirations of the people which go contrary to the public commitments of the ruling party and its promises to serve the best interests of the people, especially of Jammu region. Calling upon ruling BJP to come clean and clear on all issues of public concerns, as it can not absolve itself of responsibility being the ruling party, Bhalla said that the Congress party would continue to forcefully raise the concerns of the common people and the youth in every possible manner and create an atmosphere for the review, revocation, and modifications of the anti-people policies of the Centre govt and the UT administration.