Hitting out at Congress leadership in the State and Centre, Union Minister in PMO with Independent charge of North Eastern States, Dr Jitendra Singh today alleged that Congress’ lust for power was responsible for 30 year long Kashmir mess.
Talking to reporters here on the sidelights of a function at Narwal Fruit Mandi, Dr Jitendra Singh said Congress leadership has no right to put fingers on PDP-BJP alliance in the State as the latter has set an example by coming out of power. Contrary to it, the Congress which entered into alliance with connivance alternatively with National Conference, (NC) People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and National Panthers Party (NPP) from time to time in the State of J&K has no moral right to point fingers on BJP, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh, while turning tables on Congress said at national level it also played Muslim card and caste politics for vote bank and misled the people for decades together. In comparison to that the BJP took a principled stand of value based politics by coming out of Government in the State despite the fact that there was no pressure or compulsion on the party to come out of the Government, he added.
While taking a strong dig at Congress, he said the party is simultaneously playing both Hindu and Muslim card. While pointing towards Congress chief, Rahul Gandhi he said in Gujarat he becomes a Jenivdhari Brahman and in Delhi he poses as Muslim.
He said Congress wanted to cling to power by hook or crook during last 70 years and it never set an example like BJP which came out of Government on its own.
While lambasting the Congress leadership for criticizing the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, he said Modi’s reach out towards Pakistan has been much better than previous Prime Ministers of Congress to settle all the bilateral issues with neighboring country amicably. He (Modi) made impromptu visit to Pakistan and also participated in the wedding of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief’s daughter, Dr Jitendra Singh added.
He said in his endeavor to improve relations with neighboring country, Narendra Modi invited, Nawaz Sharief to oath ceremony at New Delhi in 2014.
The Union Minister said under Modi Government the India’s policy was more consistent than before towards J&K and this Government extended more support to the State Government for development and welfare of people. The Prime Minister visited frequently to the State and he spent first Deepawali also in Kashmir, he added.
He said on July 12 Prime Minister organized conferences with remote areas of State like Kupwara. Modi held detailed discussions with women self help group of Kupwara , he added.
Talking about the slow pace of some Centrally sponsored developmental projects in the State, Dr Jitendra Sing said that the Governor’s administration has been urged to expedite the pace of work on these projects so that they are completed in stipulated time frame.
Later addressing a gathering of fruit market Business Association at Narwal, Dr Jitendra Singh justified their demands and assured them that he will take up the issue with State Government for redressal.
He said there should be no problem to Government in settling the just demands of the business community of the market. He said fruit Mandi businessmen are helping in employment generation by providing jobs to about 4000 people and the Government should also look into their problems.
Dr Jitendra Sing made it clear that no Government can provide 100 percent employment to its youth but at the same time a responsible Government can create avenues for capacity building self employment.
He said a Government is duty bound to encourage the people who are generating employment avenues for youth instead of discouraging them.
Earlier Dr Singh handed over the booklet highlighting the four years of the Modi Government in the country to president of the Association Rajesh Gupta. The business community members also handed over a memorandum to Dr Jitendra Singh on the occasion highlighting their demands.
BJP secretary and Prabhari Raipur Domana, Aseem Gupta also spoke on the occasion and urged the Minister to use his good offices in settling the long pending demands of the business community of fruit market.
President of the Association, Rajesh Gupta demanded that they were earlier assured zero percent VAT on dry fruit by the Government. He said the Jammu Dry Fruit Mandi is the biggest Mandi in Asia and after the enforcement of GST in the country the assurance was given that zero percent GST on dry fruit (walnut) will continue and later five percent was charged.
He said when the Mandi was developed the fruit production was very less in the State and now it has tremendously increased which requires improvement in infrastructure also.
He said the Mandi is under Horticulture Department which has instead of solving the problems added to their woes.
He said the transfer procedure of shops has been made cumbersome putting shopkeepers and businessmen to trouble.
Gupta said this Mandi is only revenue generating market in the State as no such revenue is generated in Valley and still they face problems
