Shadow Correspondent
Jammu , Nov 30:
In less than two weeks after the Dogra Sadar Sabha presented a memorandum to the Hon’ble Governor, Shri Satya Pal Malik, a portion of the glorious Gole- Garh(prestigious palace) of the Mubarak Mandi Heritage complex collapsed proving the urgency of their very genuine pleadings for early restoration on war footing.
The members of the All Jammu Civil Society Forum had an emergent meeting of its core group under their Convener Th. Gulchain Singh Charak; and decried over the prolonged government apathy and failure to save these precious symbols of Dogra dignity of a century of Dogra Rule and pride of a race. Some members saw a deliberate design behind this slow peddling and inaction over the years to crumble and obliterate Dogras name from the history.
The AJCSF appreciated the Governor’s kind declaration of allocating Rs 65 Cr for restoration of Mubarak Mandi complex but urged for action on war footing, before it is too late.
The members in one voice took strong exception to the callous attitude of local political leadership across party lines, who have not taken any interest on these vital issues that concern the Dogras.
Requesting for opening of winter Secretariat Road the AJCSF pointed out that the barricades were causing great hardship to Jammuiets, tourists and daily commuters giving uncalled for and unnecessary discomfort to the population and great inconvenience to tourists, women, school children, the old senior citizens adding to chaos.
The unique facility of MH Zanana Park is again denied to half the city for six months and appears to be a sinister design to divide the city of temples in two halves.
AJCSF members pointed out that the Jammu Festival was started to show case the Dogra art, culture and strengthen the secular fabric of Dogriyat bringing the distant the artifacts, and artisans from rural remote areas to towns and cities and provide a platform to local rural Dogra folks and artists.
This very aim was defeated last year by employing a Kashmir based party who outsourced an artist from Punjab at very exorbitant cost and reduced the fortnight long Distt wise celebrative rural festivity to one Pop show at Jammu. AJCSF members urged the Governor to restore the original form and text of this local function to meet Dogra aspirations.
