Chenani, Jan 17: Former Minister and senior AAP leader, Harsh Dev Singh Tuesday observed that the post Re-organization era has witnessed a massive slow down in J&K with development taking a back seat, militancy showing an upward trend and growing unemployment becoming more pronounced.
He said the dismantling of J&K state has adversely impacted the trade, tourism and economy of the erstwhile princely State of the country. “There is an all-round dis-enchantment amongst the people who were caught unawares on August 5, 2019 when the BJP led govt at the centre all of a sudden announced Re-organization of J&K, downgrading it to UT and its division into two Union Territories,” said Singh.
He was addressing a public meeting in village Karlah of Chenani constituency on Tuesday.
“While the economy fast dissipated and development came to a grinding halt, the ever growing unemployment seemed to be the only notable feature of the saffron rule,” he said. “Pak sponsored terrorism had claimed several precious lives with armed militancy spreading its tentacles even in hitherto peaceful areas of Jammu region”.
The former minister said the extension of several draconian laws after abrogation of Art 370 including opening of lands and jobs to outsiders had in particular, come as a rude shocker for the people of J&K who stood divested of their Jobs and marginal land holdings. “The unemployed youth of Jammu region have been the most disappointed lot with their share in services having been abysmally reduced. The Daily wagers, the contractuals, the underemployed have all felt cheated in the present regime”, regretted Harsh.
Singh said that the past few years witnessed massive public uprisings against the anti Jammu and anti people policies of the ruling dispensation which continued to be suppressed through iron fist of police and civil administration.
The AAP leader appealed to the general masses not to succumb before the machiavellian designs of the power hungry politicians. He said that AAP had emerged as a strong force and would stand with the common masses through thick and thin and continue to expose and oppose those who exploited the gullibility of poor people for their personal and political gains, asserted Harsh.
Alleging that a deep rooted culture of corruption was prevalent in the UT, Singh called upon the vigilante organizations to keep a close watch over the functioning of various Deptts particularly PHE, Revenue, Education, Power and RDD.
He said that the lackadaisical approach of the concerned authorities was responsible for the power and drinking water crisis in the majority of the urban as well as rural areas.
