Jammu:
J&K Pardesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) today held strong protest at Shaheedi Chowk Jammu against highly immature and malevolent remarks of State Governor Shri Satya Paul Malik against former Prime Minister Late Shri Rajiv Gandhi as part of denigration campaign against the martyr by the BJP with eye on elections. The protest was led by former Minister and Congress contesting candidate from Jammu-Poonch parliamentary seat Raman Bhalla , Ex-MLA Mula Ram, Congress Spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, EX. Minister Shabir khan , Ex MLA Shiv Dev Singh, EX Minster S.Manjeet Singh, Ex Minister Th.Balwan Sinhh, Ex Minister Gharu Ram Choudhary, Rajnish Sharma, Manmohan Singh, Secy. PCC Shashi Sharma, District President Urban Jammu Vikram Malhotra, Rural Distt. President Hari Singh Chib, , PCC Member Satish Sharma, PCC Member Amrit Bali, , AICC Member Vandana Makhanotra, Mohan Choudhary, Mahila Wing President Indu Pawar, OBC Chairman State Adv. Suresh Dogra, Vice – Chairman Sandeep Dogra, Porshotam Mehra, Corporater Dewraka Choudhary, Corporater Kamal Singh, Corporater Priram Singh, Corporater Shobhat Ali, Corporater Rashpal Bhardawaj, Corporater Ritu Choudhary, Corporater Rajinder Singh Jamwal, Miniority Chairman Gurdarshan Singh, DDC Vice President Dr.RK Khajuria, DDC P.S. Chouhan, DCC Krishan Lal Gupta, DDC Chanchal Popli, DDC Aman Bawa, Congress Sewa Dal State President Rajesh Sadhotra, Vice President Vijay Sharma, Shalinder Jamwal, Gurvinder Singh Deepu, Sarpanches, Panches, workers, voters and supporters.
The Congress leaders expressed their anger over the insult to the former PM Rajiv Gandhi who martyred for the nation 28 years ago on May 21, 1991. During all these years the BJP left no stone unturned to implicate him but nothing could be proved against him and he came out clean in the Judicial process. But BJP continued its vilification campaign against him and entire Gandhi family, till date which is abuse of judicial process and insult to the martyr, who got assassinated due to lack of foolproof security by then BJP supported government at the centre.It is most unfortunate that Shri Satya Paul Malik has joined this slander campaign of BJP and Prime Minister Shri Narinder Modi in total disregard of all norms of decency and constitutional propriety of the august office of the Governor which mandates him to remain non-partisan and apolitical. It is totally unacceptable and highly terrible.
Speaking on the occasion, Bhalla accused the PM of crossing “all limits of propriety and decency”.He said that this is unfortunate and sad that the sitting Governor of J&K, Mr. Satya Paul Malik was used by the vested interests from New Delhi to refer Rajiv Gandhi in the same abusive language which was used a day earlier by the Prime Minister of India. The Governor of J&K while holding this office should not have used this highly unacceptable and unfortunate abusive language against Mr. Rajiv Gandhi.He hoped that the J&K Governor being a young political person with socialist commitment may withdraw these remarks attributed to him in the press today. This shall be a daring message and clarify the stand taken by J&K Governor vis-à-vis Mr. Rajiv Gandhi.
He said the Congress has so far made 11 complaints with the EC, but no action has been taken, despite going to the Supreme Court. “There are around two weeks left for the elections (to complete) and there should be an immediate ban on the prime minister’s campaigning and a notice of 24 hours should be given at the most and action should come within 48 hours,” he said. Congress leader said, noting the remarks were not worthy of a person occupying the top post in the country. I want to ask whether this country is run by the rule of law or the statement of the prime minister,” Bhalla said. He also accused Modi and other BJP leaders of indulging in blatant violation of laws. “We want to ask, who is telling a lie, who is indulging in misleading campaign, and distortion of facts,” he said.
Bhalla also said that despite the court’s orders, the prime minister in a “vile and malicious attempt to malign the former prime minister’s image has gone this far ahead with his false accusations only to further his election propaganda”. “Usage of such obscene/derogatory language by the prime minister is not only defamatory but also violates the directions of the Model Code of Conduct that must be strictly observed and followed,” Bhalla said. So far, this election has recorded the greatest number of lapses — deliberately and maliciously — by a sitting prime minister in recorded history. A complete lack of action against the prime minister has made these actions all the more egregious. The ECI must not let its sanctity be compromised. “We hope the Commission deems this a matter worth addressing and treats it with the urgency it deserves,” Bhalla said.
Mulla Ram speaking on the occasion, said by attacking Rajiv Gandhi the PM has “proved that the BJP campaign has reached a dead end. In fact, it is that car which has no tyre or engine. The people of India are very intelligent.” “The camp BJP is nervous, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who for the past five years, was in panic mode or rather in flight mode, today is in an electoral panic mode. “In the past five years, the prime minister could not uplift the standard of living of the people of the country, but, he completely single handedly lowered the standard of politics in the country,” he said. “The truth of the matter is 2014 slogan was ‘Har-Har Modi, Ghar-Ghar Modi’ and 2019 slogan is ‘Bye-Bye Modi, Bye-Bye Modi’,” he said.
Congress leaders also demanded that action must be taken in the alleged bribery of journalists by BJP leaders in Leh and appealed Election Commission of India to take serious cognizance of this.They demanded action by police and election commission of India in the matter. Video footage that emerged on Tuesday purportedly showed some BJP leaders handing over envelopes to journalists at the hotel ahead of the elections to the Ladakh parliamentary seat. The footage showed BJP state president Ravinder Raina speaking to journalists while his colleague hands over the envelopes to the reporters. A reporter is seen opening the envelope and returning it to a BJP leader, who does not take it back. The woman then drops it on the table next to him.Earlier in its complaint, the Leh Press Club had said that BJP leaders, including Jammu and Kashmir unit president Ravinder Raina, had tried to bribe journalists on Thursday at Hotel Singge Palace in Leh.“After the press conference was over, BJP leaders, including state president Ravinder Raina and member of legislative council Vikram Randhawa, tried to bribe the reporters by offering money in envelopes in an attempt to use our platform to influence the outcome of elections,” the press club said in the complaint. “We did not accept the offer and we were anguished at such an attempt.”The press club said in a Facebook post on Saturday that the BJP had tried to “belittle the dignity of media of Leh by offering them cash”.
