Jammu, Apr 06: The Congress intensified its campaign in the Jammu district, with contesting candidate Raman Bhalla holding meetings in several places across the city to seek votes in favour of the party.
During his interactions with the people of his constituency, Bhalla emphasized the need for change and highlighted various issues affecting the country under the BJP-led government.
During his Padyatra, he said, “This year’s election is witnessing a Congress wave in the country. The country doesn’t run on rhetoric. I am confident that the people of Jammu district will offer complete support to the Congress Party. The BJP-led government at the Centre will be voted out of power this time. I am not going to make false claims to the people.”
Bhalla flagged developmental issues such as unemployment, price rise and farmers’ plight, as she questioned the BJP-led government under his party’s ‘Mere Vikas Ka Do Hisaab’ campaign for the Lok Sabha polls. “Why are 83 per cent of the total unemployed in the country youth? Where are the 2 crore jobs annually? Why are 30 lakh government posts vacant in the country? Why is every exam paper leaked?” he said, attacking the government on youth issues.
He alleged that corporate’s Rs 16 lakh crore has been ‘waived off’ and asked why are farmers committing suicide due to debt. “When will farmers’ income double? When will farmers get MSP?” he asked.
During his address, the JKPCC leader said, “The votes that you are going to cast will save the democracy of the country. You must be wondering how our democracy is in danger. It is because the big institutions that have been formed to strengthen democracy are getting weakened; they are (being) misused.
He referred to the election manifesto of the party as the voice of the nation. “Yesterday, we released our manifesto. We have named our manifesto ‘Nyay Patra’. This manifesto is not just a list of announcements that we will forget after the elections, but this is the voice of the nation that wants justice,” Bhalla said. “This Lok Sabha election is between two ideologies and decisive for the nation.“This election is between two ideologies. The central government has weakened our constitutional institutions through policy.”
Speaking on the occasion, Bhalla hit out at the BJP, accusing the party of betraying the people of the Jammu region in every sphere. “As a result, there is tremendous response to the Congress on both seats of Jammu division,” he said. He referred to the issues of the refugee community and assured to of fully supporting their demands.
“Every section of Jammu—be it youth, farmers, traders, workers, women—they all are suffering due to the bad policies of the BJP government,” he said. Bhalla said that the door-to-door campaign will be intensified in all parts of the constituency to aware the masses “to teach a lesson to the BJP and its leaders, who did nothing for J&K people in ten years”.
He added, “The BJP government has no vision. It is cheating the youth and the unemployed persons, and doing injustice. Instead of answering questions, it speaks lies and avoids accountability. Congress has always protected the interests of all sections of society especially downtrodden and marginalized sections and ensured their due share and participation in every sphere of life including political empowerment right from basic institutions of democracy to highest levels.”
