Emphasizing the need for unity amongst the various political parties to seek revival of statehood and restoration of democratic govt in J&K, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh, Former Minister and senior NPP leader said that collective efforts were required to be made to ensure justice to the people of the erstwhile state reeling under dictatorial regime of BJP. The BJP govt would continue to deprive the people of J&K of their basic democratic and constitutional rights until and unless the opposition leaders joined hands against its authoritarian and despotic rule, he said. Let’s speak in one harmonious chorus on issues of common interest rather than indulging in a cacophony of voices, said Mr. Singh adding that BJP was breaking the opposition through its policy of divide and rule to continue its political hegemony in the UT. He was addressing a press conference in Jammu today.
“BJP is hell bent on demolishing the opposition. It wants to establish one party system. It’s breaking opposition parties through money and muscle power. It further resorts to coercion, threats, intimidation and persecution to bully the opposition leaders and eventually make them fall in line. The opposition leaders are either dubbed as anti-nationals or intimidated and harassed through govt agencies including ED and CBI. BJP leaders accused of corrupt practices, land grabbing, dis-proportionate assets and other fishy deals are being given immunity while questioning even the sincere motives of opposition leaders. Those who have the temerity to speak are silenced through coercive apparatus of state. Dissent is bludgeoned through the iron fist of vigilantes and other state bodies. With hardly any scope for individual political parties to make themselves heard, it’s the collective pursuit of people’s agenda that needs to be the priority concern of all nationalist, pro-people parties, said Harsh.
Mr. Harsh Dev Singh said that not only has J&K been robbed of its statehood status and deprived of legitimate elected govt but people are being subjected to the most unpopular rule of outside bureaucrats who hardly have any knowledge of J&K and its peculiar problems. The govt is resorting to strong arm methods to evict the poor, indigent masses from their small, marginal land holdings and uprooting their houses, shops and other permanent structures without any qualms of conscience. Unemployment is at its peak and govt Jobs are being openly auctioned. The contractuals, daily wagers and other temporary workers are agitating for their rights with none to listen to their shrill cries for justice. Property tax is being imposed without the nod of J&K legislature. The all-round dis-enchantment is leading to alienation and calls for united fight by opposition parties against the mis-rule and atrocities of the present regime. It’s high time therefore that all political parties except BJP having faith in the Indian Constitution and its Flag joined hands to restore justice with dignity to the people of the incarcerated land of J&K, said Mr. Singh.
Prominent among those present in the press conference were Mr. Masood Andrabi, S.Paramjit Marshall and Mr. Naresh Chib.
