Shadow Correspondent
Ramban, June 18 :
With the diabolical alliance of BJP-PDP inviting death, destruction, ruin and disaster in Kashmir, the situation in Jammu region too had been throw out of gear . “The echo of Kashmir’s violence has shown its impact on Jammu region as well. The stone pelting on the CRPF convoy in Banihal and raising of pro-Azadi slogans in Kishtwar of late having being sponsored by Pakistan agents has pushed entire State towards a catastrophe”, lamented Harsh Dev Singh Chairman and former Minister. With the crowd going berserk in Kashmir, shockingly the maniacal tendency of stone pelting had started haunting the Pahari youth of Jammu region also which was fraught with dangerous portends. He was addressing a huge public meeting at Batote and Kandari Nallah, Assar in Ramban constituency today.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh went down memory lanes and narrated the propaganda of BJP during 2014 Assembly elections which vowed to uproot ‘Baap Beta ki sarkaar’ and ‘Baap beti ki sarkar’ targeting Kashmir centric NC and PDP . “PDP also trumpeted in the valley to keep the BJP at bay by soliciting allegiance of the people to vote in their favour. In the face of polarized results in both the regions, the diametrically opposite parties entered into worst ever political debauchery which left their respective electorates shell shocked. The unholy marriage of convenience between the two ominous groups had been the main root cause of turmoil, mayhem and turbulence in the State and Kashmir in valley in particular during which the armed insurgents and the stone pelters went on rampage in the last four years. The hasty decision of “unilateral ceasefire” taken by the GoI despite the opposition by MoD and the Indian Army further gave a platinum opportunity to the terror outfits in the valley to regroup once again and mull satanic designs to intensify the carnage which had already resulted in the killings of hundreds of defence personnel during the Pak sponsored terror attacks and combat operations against the militants”, divulged Harsh.
Seeking due share for local youth in employment, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh charged the construction companies of violating the terms of agreement with regard to engagement of skilled and unskilled workers in various ongoing road, rail and hydro projects. He accused these big corporate houses including Gammon India, HCC, AFCON, IRCON etc of hobnobbing with the local administration and some political persons to deprive the local unemployed youth of agreed share of 70% in terms of the agreement. The locals were even deprived of land compensation with several houses and shops en-route on Highway having been demolished by these corporates with none to listen to the woes of the aggrieved people. Pointing towards the non revision of transport rates for travel upto Ramban despite shortening of distance by 31 Kms due to construction of Chanani-Nashri Tunnel, Mr. Singh called for reduction of fares by the commercial vehicles. He regretted the non- payment of wages under MGNREGA to labourers and mates for the works done during the 18-20 months which had caused starvation amongst several families. He further sought immediate release of pending honorarium of VDC members who too remained unpaid for months. He expressed his dismay over the non completion of 7 Kms long Assar-Thanda Pani road whose construction started 32 years back in 1986 with only four Kms constructed till date and abandoned half way without reaching the destination village.
Seeking enquiry into the mysterious death of one Angrez Singh s/o Mangat Ram Gaddi of village Hirni in Tehsil Assar who was reportedly charred alive in April 2018, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh expressed dismay that neither post mortem was conducted nor FIR was lodged . The police was being accused of having colluded with the culprits thus creating huge resentment in the area, said Harsh. He appealed to the Chief Minister to intervene in her capacity as the Home Minister and order a high level probe in view of alleged involvement of some Police officers so that perpetrators of crime were brought to book.
Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion included Yashpal Kundal, Parshotam Parihar, Pawan Dev Singh, Gagan Pratap Singh, Basharat Ali, Chatter Singh, Pandit Mohan Lal, Satish Goswami, Rampaul Sharma, Rajeshwar Singh, Arun Khajuria besides others.
