Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Aug 04:
As a part of mass contact programme, Jammu Urban unit of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) held a significant public meeting today under the chairmanship of Chander Mohan Sharma, District President of Jammu at Shastri Nagar here today. The meeting was organized by Sandeep Singh Wazir, Block President.
The meeting witnessed presence of prominent JKNC leaders including Ajay Sadhotra, Additional General Secretary and former Minister; Rattan Lal Gupta, Provincial President Jammu; Babu Rampal , Zonal President Central and\ former Minister, Abdul Ghani Malik, Bimla Luthra, Vice President and former MLA; Satinder Kaur, ex-MLC; Ankush Abrol, Surjeet Singh Manhas, and Raghubir Singh.
Speaking on the occasion, Ajay Sadhotra has strongly criticized the BJP for its role in weakening democracy in Jammu and Kashmir. He accused the Central Govt for augmenting more powers to the Lt Governor, thereby diminishing the authority and influence of elected representatives.
He said it is unfortunate that people sitting at helm have weakened the status of elected representatives through the aforesaid move.
The former minister asked the party workers to gear up for the ensuing Assembly polls as NC’s victory shall be the victory of the people of J&K because no other party in the region is capable of satiating the aspirations of the people as it has become evident under the incumbent rule of BJP, because people are suffering on all counts.
Rattan Lal Gupta, in his address, criticized the present administration for misusing public funds. He pointed out the ineffective use of the public exchequer on projects like the Smart City initiative. “Except for making footpaths and pavements, nothing substantial has been seen on Jammu roads under the so-called Smart City project,” he remarked.
The Provincial President also condemned the government for jeopardizing the livelihoods of local people in the name of development. Specifically addressing the issue of shopkeepers in Nai Basti affected by flyover projects, he demanded that the Union Minister for Highways ensure alternative arrangements and adequate compensation before dismantling any shops.
Rattan Lal Gupta further directed all party cadres to intensify their mass contact programs in preparation for the upcoming Assembly polls. He urged district and block presidents to stay connected with the people and address their concerns. “The National Conference is committed to protecting the land and job rights of the people of Jammu & Kashmir,” he asserted.
Babu Rampal, Zonal President Central and former Minister urged the public to support the National Conference in its mission to restore democratic rights and development in J&K.
Bimla Luthra, along with Laxmi Dutta and Depinder Kaur, emphasized the party’s dedication to ensuring equitable rights for women across all spheres. “Only the National Conference can guarantee the protection and promotion of women’s rights,” they declared.
The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the National Conference’s commitment to addressing the issues faced by the people of Jammu & Kashmir and working towards a more democratic and prosperous future for the region.
Among those who were present included Pardeep Bali and Ayub Malik, Provincial Secretaries; Abdul Ghani Teli Chairman OBC, Dr Vikas Sharma, Mohammad Aslam, Nirmal Singh, BD Dalotra, Sewa Singh, Parbhat Kapahi, Parvinder Singh, Ashwani Charak, Varinder Sharma, Pinky Khalsa, Shabir Samyal, Bahadur Lal and Kuldeep Sharma.
