BJP Govt has forgotten poor, middle class families: Bhalla

Says every section of society is overburdened with heavy load of hardships  

Jammu, July 30:- JKPCC Working President Raman Bhalla Sunday attacked the government on issues of employment and prices of essentials, saying it has “forgotten” the poor and middle class, and is “busy” in increasing the wealth of capitalists.He also said that the BJP will not be allowed to divert the attention of people from issues concerning them. This was stated by former Minister while addressing aggrieved people of  Bahu Fort Masha Mohlla Bahu constituency . Prominent among those present on the occasion include Dewan Chand, Latish Sharma, Panch Gagan Bral, Sahil Shavotra, Gopal Sharma, Mulkh Raj, Parmjeet, Amit Dalotra , Darshan Devi, Kundan Dalotra, Balvinder Singh, Sonu Kumar, Sunny Kumar, Mohan Lal, Sanjeev Kumar, Garu Kumar besides others.

Speaking on the occasion, Bhalla denounced the Government for installation of smart meters and launch of prepaid system for electricity in Jammu and Kashmir.He vehemently objected to the installation of smart meters and the implementation of a prepaid system for electricity, while saying that the present Government led by LG Manoj Sinha is leaving no stone unturned to tormenting people of the Union Territory, particularly the poor masses.Bhalla claimed that people are dejected over the power bills, which are contrary to their monthly consumption. He said that people are getting hefty bills after installation of the smart meters and they don’t know whom to complaint as toll free numbers given by the PDD are not picked up by anyone.Bhalla severely reprimanded the administration and demanded that installation of smart meters and implementation of prepaid system for electricity be stopped immediately in the interest of the poor masses.

Bhalla said that today Tomato is at Rs 200 per kg, Cauliflower: ₹ 80 per kg, Toor Dal: ₹ 160 per kg, Arhar Dal: ₹ 219 per kg and cooking gas cylinder above ₹ 1,100. The BJP government, which is busy in increasing the wealth of capitalists and collecting taxes from public, has forgotten the poor and middle class families,” he said. Bhalla said the youth are unemployed and if there is any employment, then the income is low and there are no savings due to inflation. “The poor are yearning to eat and the middle class is yearning to save,” the former Minister said. “The Bharat Jodo Yatra was a pledge to remove hatred, remove inflation, unemployment and bring equality – and to stop BJP to divert attention from public issues,” Bhalla  said and added that for “nine years it is the same question — after all, for whom is this ‘amrit-kaal’?” The Congress has been attacking the government on issues of unemployment and prices of essentials, and accusing the BJP of polarising society for its politics of hate.

Bhalla said every section of society was fed up with the anti-people policies of the BJP-LG government in J&K.He said farmers, youths, employees, businessman, Sarpanches/Panches and all other sections of society were feeling cheated as the government made false promises with them in the name of giving MSP of crops to the farmers, giving government jobs to the youths and giving facilities and good atmosphere to undertake business.“The government made a number of promises with the people of J&K, including giving pension per month to senior citizens, but failed to keep them. Instead of redressing grievances of the people, this government is forcing every resident to hit the streets to get justice,” said Bhalla .

Bhalla said that there is uncertainty prevailing in J&K and the youth is feeling cheated and betrayed by the policies of Bharatiya Janata Party. He pointed out that despite the fact that thousands of youths in J&K are getting professional degrees and diplomas every year there is no concrete policy from the government for their absorption in the government sector. He said that the youth of J&K feeling cheated due to hollow policies of BJP leadership.He said that government is not having any policy in its hand for unemployed youth who are facing problems in jobs and daily needs. “BJP has betrayed the youth as well as people of Jammu and Kashmir”, he said, asking the party cadre to strengthen the party at grass roots level.

Bhalla accused the J&K administration of adopting a callous attitude towards weaker sections of society. He said that every section of the society is overburdened with the heavy load of hardships that have resulted due to the hollow policies of the incumbent government. He said that people residing in urban areas are crying for the very basic necessity i.e. drinking water, the scarcity of which has hit almost every urban area not to talk of the rural areas.

Bhalla asked the party workers to remain present among the people at the grass roots level and address their day to day problems. He asked them to make people aware about the achievements of the party especially during the Congress regime in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. He hit out at the BJP for allegedly destroying the identity, status, and rights of the people and said the Centre is 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.  

Bhalla said BJP was trying to postpone the elections on one pretext or the other. “Since the BJP has antagonized its own electorate, it is trying hard to buy time. The truth is it is resorting to delay and deny tactics over the Assembly elections in J&K. The BJP is scared to face people in the wake of its multiple betrayals,” Bhalla said. The tall claims made by government with regard to unprecedented development in Jammu and Kashmir has proved to be hoax but the reality is that the situation has gone from bad to worst. A common man in Jammu and Kashmir is suffering on account of wrong policies of the government.

Bhalla criticized the government for its failure to address the long pending demand of the agitating daily wagers. Thousands of families of these daily wagers have been left helpless by the present government with no hope for their regularization and their pending salaries. Bhalla emphasized that Congress has a track record of serving people and this spirit is needed to be sustained and promoted by uniting under the banner of Congress, which stands for equitable development of the regions and their sub-regions with thrust on rural and remote areas. He maintained that J&K Congress has always stood for the high principles of secularism, brotherhood and democracy and shall continue to do so in future as well.

Asking party workers to gear-up for upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir, Bhalla exhorted upon them to converge their efforts to intensify party’s public outreach programme to strengthen the base of the party. He stressed upon them to prepare themselves for upcoming Assembly elections in J&K in order to defeat the nefarious design of the anti-social elements which are hell bent to destroy social fabric among the society.Bhalla asserted that democracy cannot be imposed from outside but has to come from within. He emphasized that the people of J&K should be allowed to decide their own future through a democratic process.He said people have been forced to live a miserable life.

Asserting that Congress alone is the solution to end the miseries of people, he asked party cadre especially the workers to gear up for the upcoming Panchayat and Local Bodies elections to give befitting reply to those who are befooling the people with their hollow slogans.He asked people of J&K to strengthen hands of Congress to once again install a government which is people-centric and considerate towards the problems of the common man and not like BJP Government which is doing anything and everything for selected few in the cocountry.

 (NOTE: PRESS RELEASE PUBLISHED AS RECEIVED)