BJP betraying J&K people on statehood: JKPCC Chief

Jammu, Feb 12: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) President Tariq Hameed Karra on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led central government for delaying the restoration of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Karra accused the BJP of betraying the people of the Union Territory by failing to fulfil its repeated promises regarding statehood.
“They keep saying statehood will be restored at an appropriate time, but they never clarify when that time will come,” he said, expressing doubts over the Centre’s intentions.
The JKPCC chief also announced plans to launch a 15-day mass contact campaign across Jammu province, demanding the restoration of statehood.
As per the JK Congress, starting from Udhampur on February 13, the movement will include workers’ conventions in each district, aiming to galvanise public support and pressure the Centre to fulfil its long-pending promise.
Addressing a press conference at the PCC headquarters in Jammu, Karra, stated that Congress would lead the struggle to restore the region’s identity, dignity and full-fledged statehood.
As per the Congress, the campaign will also align with the nationwide Congress movement “Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan.”
The JKPCC chief said that the mass contact campaign is also aimed at listening to the problems faced by the cross section of society and to highlight those and discuss the issues in the coming assembly session next month.
“During the district-wise review meetings in Kashmir Valley earlier last week, the workers highlighted numerous day-to-day problems faced by the people, including those of farmers, unemployed youth, traders, transporters, daily and casual workers, besides unprecedented price hikes and huge taxations of various kinds, excise policy, education system, and health issues, especially power tariffs and the promise of free power units,” J&K Congress said in a statement.
The statement stated that despite the Assembly election & coming into power of elected government, the people were facing hardships for day-to-day issues due to the absence of a dual control system and lack of powers, etc.
Karra said that people will have to fight for their rights & get back their status, dignity, and identity as a full-fledged state and the Congress party is already on the forefront for their rights and will intensify people’s struggle.
He asked people to support the Congress party for achieving the goal of early restoration of statehood. He said that the coalition government is also facing hardships to come upto the expectations of people and restore the responsive system to deliver to people in the absence of restoration of full-fledged statehood.
Karra expressed security concerns in the wake of terrorist incidents, especially the blast attack in Akhnoor Sector, killing two Jawans, including a captain. He condemned the incident and paid tributes to martyrs, expressing deep sympathies to their families.
The PCC President also expressed concern over the recent incidents in Jammu, exposing the law and order situation and demanding an immediate check on Mafia and criminals to restore a sense of security. He also condemned the incident of suicide in Billawar and demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident.
The JKPCC Chief also questioned the present excise policy and the reports of revenue loss to the government and demanded a review of the present policy immediately, besides strict monitoring on illegal activities of the drug trade, spoiling future generations.
He also raised serious concerns over the mining issue, destroying the ecology of the regions, affecting water bodies, and large-scale looting of the natural resources. Besides, the common man is getting building materials at very high prices, like gold.
The government should immediately take stock of the situation to streamline the system to check the loot and make available building material at affordable prices to the people.