National Conference provincial president, Devender Singh Rana, Thursday lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party and accused them of “betraying the people residing along Line of Control and International Border in the state”.
“The betrayal left the residents of the forward areashumiliated as they were made to run from pillar to post, not just to seekredressal to their problems or fulfillment of promises, but to beg for theirlives in the wake of intermittent shelling and firing from across the border,”Rana said while addressing public meetings in the border areas of Poonch andMendhar assembly segments.
Currently on a three-day tour of the Poonch and Rajouridistricts, the National Conference team, led by Devender Singh Rana, iscampaigning for Congress candidate Raman Bhalla from Jammu-Poonch parliamentaryconstituency. Senior leaders Ajay Kumar Sadhotra, Thakur Rachpal Singh, JavedRana and Ajaz Jan were accompanying the party’s provincial president during thecampaigning.
The provincial president lauded the valour and fortitude ofborder dwellers for continuously braving the brunt of shelling and said,”Despite continuing to rule at the centre and having a stint for over threeyears in the state, nothing was done to instill a sense of security among themby way of constructing bunkers and shelter sheds, besides allotting thepromised five marla plots to the most vulnerable segments of the residents.”
“What happened to jobs and special drives for the borderyouth, promised by the tallest of the tall BJP leaders ahead of the 2014polls?” he asked and said, “Now that the elections are again taking place, theywill start shedding crocodile tears for the people in misery.”
Devender Rana further said that the border residents reservea right to question as to why they were dumped for five years and the BJPleaders owe answers to them. “The border dwellers deserved compassion, but allthat they got was condemnation by the BJP,” he regretted and said that the timehas come when these hapless people will teach them (BJP) a lesson.
Speaking on theoccasion, former minister Ajay Kumar Sadhotra reminded the BJP of its promiseswith the people of the border areas and asked as to what had happened to safeshelters and bunkers which they had claimed would be coming up within months oftheir government. “They left the border people to fend for themselves,” hesaid, adding that a course correction is needed to ensure safety of thesepeople, who form second line of the defence.
Questioning the moral grand-standing of the BJP, Sadhotrasaid that they have nothing to boast about except taking credit for sowingseeds of mistrust between various segments of people in order to further theirmotivated agenda. He cautioned the BJP not to test the state’s spirit ofinclusiveness, saying the people will foil all their machinations bymaintaining unity and amity.
Exhorting the people to make judicious use of their vote infavour of the secular forces, former MLA Javed Rana said that “divisive andcommunal politics has done huge damage to the time tested secular fabric of thestate”. He said that the people will “never forgive those who brought people ofone community face to face with the other one, with an eye on votes”.
Javed Rana said that National Conference has all alongupheld and sustained the spirit of inclusiveness, which has been a cherishedlegacy left for the posterity by Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah. “Wehave to preserve and promote this ethos for making the state a better place tolive in,” Javed Rana added.
Addressing the gatherings, former MLA and provincial YouthNational Conference President Ajaz Jan said that the people living along theLine of Control were feeling a sense of neglect and deprivation as the BJP hashugely failed in keeping its commitments.
Jan said, “The BJP’s misrule had added to the miseries ofthe people in terms of defunct utility services, scarce stocks of rations,dilapidated roads, non-functional health institutions and so on. Exceptexploiting the religious sentiments, the previous coalition partners did littletowards governance. The upcoming polls are an opportunity for the people to saytheir big no to hate and polarizing politics.”
The party leaders urged the people of the border districtsto ensure victory of the Congress candidate, saying it will be triumph of theresolve of National Conference to defeat “communal forces”.