Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Nov 22
Asserting that Panthers Party has emerged as a sole, strong and bold voice of Jammu region, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh vociferously proclaimed that the Dissolution of Assembly which happened a day ago is the victory of Panthers Party. He congratulated his party leaders and workers for their joint struggle to achieve the mission impossible against the despotic and dictatorial BJP which had held the democracy and the constitution hostage for its petty political interests. He was addressing mammoth public meetings in village Saltan, Khoon in Ramnagar constituency.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh reminisced that ever since the BJP-PDP had stitched an alliance four years ago, political events started taking ominous and ugly turns one after the other. He regretted that BJP jettisoned its core election time promises made to the people and bartered their aspirations for the crumbs of power while the PDP pursued its secessionist agenda in the valley. “It was only Panthers Party which relentlessly opposed and exposed the political sins committed by the Saffron Party and held several protest demonstrations in Jammu and outside the Parliament in New Delhi besides petitioning the President of India seeking dissolution of the Assembly and imposition of Governor’s rule in the State. During the sinister tenure of coalition rule, all the Jammu centric issues were side lined by the government and on the contrary, policy of appeasement became rampant in Kashmir to flatter separatists, anti-nationals and militants. The administrative and constitutional machinery broke down to such an extent that the State witnessed glorification of separatists, discrimination with Jammu province in all spheres, frequent terror attacks on security and defense personnel, intensified cease fire violation from across the border, terror assault on pilgrims, unlawful settlement of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis, civil unrest, anarchy and mayhem. While the BJP was mum, the bold Panthers being undeterred by the threats issued by various political quarters to quell the voice kept on highlighting the public issues and lodging protests against all vices and wrongdoings committed by the ‘dirty alliance’. The strong conviction and perseverance of Panthers bore fruits when the BJP-PDP government finally fell down on June 19th”, jubilant Harsh elucidated.
Accusing the GoI for keeping the State Assembly under unprecedented prolonged suspension by coercion following the collapse of ‘unholy combine’, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh said that BJP tried its level best to press horse trading into practice by offering enticements and allurements to the MLAs of other parties in the past five months. “The MLAs were bestowed with regular perks, other emoluments and powers to operate CDF in the suspended Assembly. We opposed and protested.
The desperate BJP even poached the MLAs of other parties in a failed bid to ‘seal the deal’. The unwarranted political uncertainty pressed the panic button in the political corridors which made other political parties feel jittery. The ‘rat race’ for power picked up momentum to threaten the very essence of the democracy as the menace of unethical and corrupt practices endangered the political discourse of the State. The situation gave an oppor tunity to NC, Congress and PDP to forge an opportunist ‘Grand Alliance’ to claim the formation of the Government. We were on our toes. We knew that if the new dispensation had formed, Jammu region and Ladakh would have been completely marginalized, isolated and subjugated without any representation in the government. BJP was responsible for this mess as it gave an open space to all Kashmir centric parties to come together and float a draconian idea. Sensing that the nasty political development could have serious repercussions, Panthers party lodged a thundering protest seeking dissolution of State Assembly on Wednesday 21st Nov, and on the same day Governor ordered the dissolution of the legislature. Fortune favours the brave.
It is your victory. It is the victory of the Dogras”, summarized Harsh. He urged upon the people of Jammu region to get united and give befitting reply to all such divisive and power hungry political parties whenever they were given opportunity to exercise their mandate to elect a popular government.
Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion included Mrs. Manju Singh, Basharat Ali, Rajesh Sharma, Tara Singh, Prem Nath, Sardar Khan, Mast Ram besides others.
