Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Oct, 21
Re-itering the demand for winding up of Sarore Toll Plaza, a huge contingent of NPP workers led by Mr. Harsh Dev Singh Chairman JKNPP and Yash Paul Kundal State President Young Panthers held a massive protest at Vijaypur Chowk in Samba District today. The agitated protestors torched effigy of BJP amidst slogans of “Kesri Jazia nahin chalega, nahin chalega”, “Loot Khasoot bandh karo, bandh karo”, “BJP Hai Hai” etc.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh questioned the justification for multiple Toll Plazas when the govt was levying huge duties, taxes and cesses on petrol for the purpose of up-gradation and maintenance of roads. He said that petrol prices cost the govt barely Rs. 30-35 per litre but it was selling the same to consumers at Rs. 75-80 per litre after imposing huge taxes on its sale. And only recently the Ministry of surface Transport led introduced a onetime tax of 9% on purchase of vehicles besides unreasonable hike in the fines under the Motor Vehicles Act. He said that govt moves clearly amounted to “extortion” and a “dacoity” committed upon the pockets of common man.
Lambasting the BJP led govt for levying “Kesri Jazia” upon the people, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh said that both the present government and its nodal agency had connived together to organize loot and legalize plunder in the name of multiple Toll Plazas exclusively conceptualized for Jammu region.
He said that Jazia was a term conceived by BJP while in opposition to oppose the Toll Plazas in Jammu. And now when in power, it was resorting to “Kesri Jazia” in the form of multiple Toll Plazas, said Singh. “You are extorting money from the commuters in the name of toll tax. Can you explain and justify the installation of the site just ahead of Lakhanpur Plaza and just behind Ban Toll Plaza in violation of your own norms and guidelines? We will not tolerate this. Multiple Toll Plazas have only sparked public outrage and caused unrest in the entire Jammu region. It has to go. Close it or get ready to face consequences”, warned Harsh.
Expressing his serious concern over other Toll Plazas which were under pipeline in Rajbagh, Ring road, Akhnoor etc, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh said that the Saffron government was converting the city of temples into city of Toll Plazas.
“The public unrest is a warning sign. In view of the shabby road stretches, improper banking of the road curves and rising road accidents on the National Highways of Jammu province, the establishment of Toll Plazas has triggered widespread criticism over the functioning of NHAI”.
Rebuking the ugly episode at Sarore Toll Plaza couple of days ago, Mr. Singh said the incident had raised many eyebrows over the behaviour of the site contractor who dared to abuse and manhandle the bus driver in full public view. Considering the dubious notoriety earned by the NHAI, he demanded high level probe into the tendering process of the nodal agency in allocation of contracts for the Sarore and other Toll Plazas.
Seeking immediate abolition of Sarore Toll Plaza, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh said it would not only break the back of the people with hefty taxes but affect pilgrimage tourism which had been a backbone of J&K’s economy for decades. He accused the GoI of doling discrimination to Jammu region in view of the disbanding of toll plazas in Kashmir with only one such toll functional in the valley. He regretted that the government once again resorted to the policy of appeasement to keep Kashmiris in good humour. “While the assurances of socio-economic development projects employment package, premier educational institutions and professional colleges, hospitals and tertiary healthcare institutes, etc are being given by the government to the people of Kashmir, the Dogras were put under the burden of tax to compensate for the development of the valley.
We will not allow the government to rob the pockets of our people for placating anti-nationals anymore. Enough is enough”, roared Harsh.
Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion included Yash Paul Kundal, Rajesh Padgotra, Yash Sharma, Khajoor Singh, Capt. Sultan Singh, B.D Sharma, Puran Singh, Udhayveer Singh, Rakesh Verma besides others.
