Jammu, Sep 28: Jammu and Kashmir Congress Working President Raman Bhalla on Thursday hit out at the BJP for allegedly destroying the identity, status, and rights of the people and accused the Centre of deliberately delaying the holding of early assembly elections in the union territory.
He said that instead of addressing the grievances of the people, the government brazenly participated in photo sessions to get cheap publicity and just to befool the people, making false promises.
This was stated by the former Minister after the inauguration of tile work in Deep Nagar Gurudwara of Ward-55 by Corporator Pritam Singh which was a long pending demand of the residents, the party said in a statement issued here.
Speaking on the occasion, Bhalla said, “BJP government is intentionally delaying the holding of early assembly elections and restoration of full statehood to J&K. The people should gear up for the decisive fight.”
He alleged the incumbent regime has totally neglected the people of J&K. “BJP has destroyed the identity, status, and rights of the people. The politics of hatred is dangerous for the country and urged the people to reject the communal and divisive forces and strengthen the secular and progressive forces in order to strengthen the unity and integrity of the nation and the state. The region cannot be run through a remote control from Delhi.”
“The BJP government has demeaned Indian democracy, which at one point of time was considered as the biggest among all, by showing reluctance on holding assembly elections in J&K fearing its devastation due to anti-people policies which it has been implementing on the name of reforms and development,” he said, adding, “Elections are due for long but knowing well about their probable worst-ever political debacle the BJP government is running from polls. This is nothing but the killing of democracy by a party which boasted at all forums about being champion of electoral reforms and guardian of democracy.”
The Congress leader said the BJP is maligning the country by manipulating poll delay and denying the democratic right of voting to the people of J&K by deferring polls on one pretext or the other.
He said the BJP’s model of democracy is “authoritarian” because it wanted to impose governance without holding elections thus marring the very spirit of democracy, which the Constitution of the country has guaranteed to the citizens. “The entire world is gazing at J&K and how the BJP government is denying democratic rights to people. It is in the interest of one and all in the country and also BJP as a party to hold elections sooner than later as by saying no to polls India’s image of being a significant democracy is being tarnished at all levels,” he said.
He said the ULB and Panchayat polls are in offing in J&K and asked party cadres to gear up for the polls.
