Shadow Correspondent
jammu, Jan, 07
Former Minister J&K Yogesh Sawhney, General Secretary JKPCC & Incharge District President Jammu (U) today held a meeting with Co-ordinators of various Assembly segments, District Congress Committee Jammu (Urban) at PCC Headquarters, Jammu to discuss prominent issues. In the meeting, district Congress leaders strongly criticized the BJP administration, saying that no section of people in J&K is satisfied with the government. Jammu and Kashmir over the course of a year has seen massive protests, demonstrations and strikes against the BJP from different groups of people for their anti-people and anti-Jammu policies. From economic distress to emerging social disparities to outright suppression of democratic rights, J&K has been suffering terribly, they said.
In the meeting, Sawhney and other Congress leaders also condemned the cold blooded murder of Satpal Nischal, owner of Nischal Jewelers who was fired at by some unknown gunmen at his shop in Srinagar. Sawhney questioned the silence of BJP leaders on the gruesome killing of the businessman and demanded that culprits be strictly punished and apprehended.
Addressing the meeting, Sawhney raised various burning issues and condemned the BJP for ‘ruining normalcy and conditions of J&K’. He further expressed concerns that each section of society in Jammu and Kashmir has felt betrayed and cheated by the BJP government and administration. ‘From 2019 to the present times, a wave of protests by varied segments of our population has expressed strong concerns regarding one or the other issue. From farmers, daily wagers to unemployed engineers, the only option left for them is to protest.’, he said. Sawhney, speaking in the meeting, said that the casual labourers and daily wagers of all government departments including the PHE department, PDD department and so on have been drastically affected by overdue payments, lack of regularisation measures, the regional bias in employment opportunities apart from the pandemic. Sawhney demanded that the demands of various protesting groups such as the PDD workers and PHE workers be accepted including release of pending wages, filling up of vacant posts, doing away with the regional bias in regularisation, implementing Minimum Wages Act among others. He further said that after numerous strikes, protests and demonstrations, the government still failed to address their issues. Troubled by the government’s indifferent attitude, they have been forced to warn of indefinite strikes, as they feel that the BJP administration has been cheating on them. He further elaborated that even the Transport Unions have been forced to go on strikes over the economic package; because transporters are overburdened due to heavy taxations apart from the prevailing Covid-19 situation. J&K forest employees union also protested for unpaid salaries, he added.
The former Minister also highlighted the protests by unemployed agriculture graduates in Jammu, accusing the UT government of discrimination in the distribution of vacancies between Jammu and Kashmir, and unemployed engineers who were upset with the abolition of Self Help Groups. He said that the condition of unemployment in J&K and also across the country is worsening and the government is silent. ‘Even teachers and students have protested this regime for various reasons. Recently, this administration drew the wrath of Rehbar-e-Khel teachers who held protests against them. Students are unhappy as the ban on 4g is affecting their education.’, he added. The meeting also discussed the farm laws that has drawn wide spread criticisms and opposition from all stakeholders including farmers themselves.
Sawhney concluded to say that the overall dissatisfaction and disappointment that the people of Jammu and Kashmir hold against the BJP is immense, as promises have been broken and lies have been said. He said that the party will show solidarity to all those who have been wronged by the government and will strive to help these people amplify their voices.
Meanwhile, in the meeting, it was decided that senior Congress leader Sri Varinder Singh Manhas, Co-ordinator Jammu West, will look after the working of Block No. 5, Block Janipur till further order.
Other prominent leaders present in the meeting included Dr. RamaKant Khajuria Sr. Vice President DCC , Varinder Singh Manhas , Uttam Singh and Rajesh Sharma Coordi nators Jammu West , Vijay Singh Chib Coordinator Jammu Cantonment, chander Shekhar Sharma and Atul Sharma Both Coordinator Jammu East.
