Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Apr, 12
Hailing people of Jammu -Poonch Parliamentary constituency for registering a record voting percentage in the first phase of Parliamentary elections, Congress today hoped that voters will turn up in large numbers in the remaining phases as well.” INC takes opportunity to thank and pat people of Jammu and Kashmir for their valour, bravery and meaningful and effective participation in the first phase of polls with a decisive percent polling, thereby defeating the designs of those exporting terror from across the border and as also the those who have given a call for the boycott of the festival of democracy,” former Minister and Congress candidate from Jammu-Poonch Parliamentary seat Raman Bhalla said today in a press conference organized at Party office at Gandhi Nagar, Jammu. Bhalla said INC truly salutes and celebrates the spirit of Indianess, patriotism, sacrifice and valour of people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.”We sincerely hope that this celebration of democracy will get further strengthened by way of mass participation of people of three regions of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh in the next phases of polling,” he said.”It is for this reason that INC has given out a detailed blueprint of development to the people of Jammu and Kashmir in its manifesto,” he added. Attacking those who have given a poll boycott call, he said, “Those people were suppressing the power of ballots with bullets. People of J&K have strengthened themselves and pressed the ballot and have given their reply to the bullets.”
Former Minister speaking on the occasion maintained that youth can bring J&K out of the morass by rendering their contribution. He emphasized them to gear up for a big change, as that, their vote can bring a better change in the society, which is the need of the time. Bhalla appealed the young brigade to come forward for a better change in the State, as the J&K has suffered enormously on every count due to the political exploitation under BJP rule. He said Congress is duty bound to empower every section of the State equally especially the youth, who hold the key to development and can change the direction, for which they need to rise to the occasion to show the power of their vote in the upcoming elections. “I would urge the youth in all the three regions to remain steadfast to serve the people to the best of their ability and ensure defeat of political exploitation. They should strengthen the Congress Party, which under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi feels duty bound to empower the youth and other sections of the people from grass roots level,” Bhalla added.”J&K has become a victim of the harmful policies of BJP. The people are looking forward to a Congress Government under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. Our poll planks for the elections will be development, employment and to bring back peace, which was derailed after the BJP took rein,” he said and claimed that Congress brought peace to Punjab, Mizoram and Assam through dialogue and will adopt same strategy in Jammu and Kashmir. Terming Congress Party as an “instrument of Service”, Bhalla said party has delivered enough and it has the capacity to deliver. He said Congress Party which has the history of 125 years of serving the people of Country, and has always taken care of poor and downtrodden sections. He also predicted total annihilation of Bhartiya Janta Party in the future election because of its duplicity and anti-people policies and said the process of its degeneration has already begun.
Bhalla said divisive politics of BJP is detrimental to the growth and prosperity of Jammu and Kashmir which is facing peculiar problems on economic and political fronts that need unique treatment with a sense of urgency. Our aim is not to attain the power by deceiving the people”, he said and reiterated that one and only agenda of Congress is to establish lasting peace and to restore dignity and honour of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He said Congress is committed to establish peace and tranquillity in State and to strengthen regional and sub-regional integration. He sought support of the people for the remaining phases to further pursue the pro-peace agenda of the Congress. He said the people know what their real issues are and they cannot be deceived anymore by the murky politics by BJP leadership played in State. He said since the BJP had nothing to show as its performance report to the people at the end of its tenure it had resorted to lies to divert the attention of people from its failures.
