Shadow Correspondent
JAMMU,Jan, 11:
Former Minister and senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla has alleged that both BJP and PDP have betrayed the people of the State and violated the mandate given by the electorates. Addressing public meeting at Dilly area in Gandhi Nagar constituency, Bhalla said that promises made to the people like return of power projects, eradication of the unemployment, development and especially providing the basic facilities have proven a mere hoax on ground. The claims and the actual work done on ground remained mismatched. The sufferings of the common people have increased many folds. Worst is the condition of roads all over the State and many development works have been stopped. People are holding protests for ration and the treasuries are unable to pay pending bills of the employees and contractors. Bhalla said that the BJP Government has failed to protect the country’s security personnel. Not a day goes without attacks on Army, paramilitary and police men, he added. While expressing grave concern over the unabated killings, he said the BJP-led NDA Government had miserably failed to deal with the situation on the LoC. He said instead of adopting aggressive posture to counter the misdeeds of Pakistan, the Centre was befooling the people by mere rhetoric.
Launching a scathing attack on previous BJP-PDP Govt, Bhalla said they failed to ensure justice to each region. He held BJP responsible for surrendering the interests of people of Jammu and throwing the elections promises to the dustbin. He exhorted the people of J&K to teach a lesson to both BJP and PDP in the upcoming assembly elections. Bhalla further said that under their dispensation, people remained deprived of every basic facility. The alienation between the Government and the people was at an all time high. The people had no expectations from the government, as the government failed to come up with people-friendly policies. Bhalla said the administration must come out of deep slumber and infuse responsiveness and an element of accountability in its machinery in order to mitigate the sufferings of people. People’s participation is very important for making good democracy not only at state or union level but also at grass-root level. Participation of all is necessary, whether directly or indirectly, to make the system more accountable and transparent. Participation helps to promote and enhance their leadership qualities and self-confidence.
It is a matter of great concern that poor public of Jammu is persistently suffering due to wrong policies of previous dispensation upon which people had pinned great hope. He further said that the people have paid very heavy price by voting BJP to power which has bartered away the interests of the young and deserving people of Jammu region. He stressed that at it is high time that people of Jammu region should stand up to seek their rights and justice and organise themselves to force these parties inflicted huge discrimination accountable and seek answers for betrayal of huge mandate given to State BJP. The central government has made a mess of a previously successful strategy to tackle militancy in Kashmir, Bhalla said, holding previous BJP-PDP alliance responsible for creating a space for “terrorists”. Bhalla said the Congress had a clear plan for Kashmir — bring young people into the mainstream, generate employment and isolate Pakistan diplomatically – that had ended violence and helped India. “We broke the backbone of terrorism into three to four pieces and brought peace. We confined Pakistan, tied their hands and almost packed them,” he said. But, he added, the BJP had diverted from the successful plan by not talking to local people and not including smaller countries in a global campaign to isolate Pakistan.
“They didn’t have an understanding of the basic tools. Every single person says the prime minister does not listen.” Bhalla pinned the blame on the BJP-PDP coalition, saying the coming together of the ideologically divergent parties was a “strategic disaster” that opened the doors for militants.
