BJP’s policies have forced people to beg before Supreme Court: J&K Congress chief

Jammu, Sep 9 (PTI) The president of the Jammu and Kashmir unit of Congress party, Vikar Rasool Wani, on Saturday slammed the BJP, accusing the party of forcing people “to beg before the Supreme Court” for the restoration of their rights.

Wani was speaking at a function to welcome Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Jagdeep Singh who along with scores of other activists joined Congress at party headquarters here. At a separate function in Akhnoor, several BJP leaders and other social activists also joined the Congress.

The J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief said the people have decided to replace the BJP with a Congress-led secular government.

“Over the past decade, BJP has destroyed everything. We have seen demonetisation and growing unemployment. Besides, special status (under Article 370) and statehood of Jammu and Kashmir was finished. Today, we are forced to beg before the Supreme Court,” Wani told a gathering at party headquarters here.

He said the residents of Jammu are unhappy due to the “anti-people” policies of the BJP which has been in power since 2014, first in alliance with the PDP, followed by central rule from 2018 onwards.

“Jammu and Kashmir is number one in unemployment and all sections of the society, including farmers and industrialists, are severely affected and have become economically weak. They (BJP) are sucking the blood of the people by introducing bulldozers, smart electricity metres and property tax,” he said.

Referring to J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina’s claim that the saffron party will secure 50 plus seats in the next assembly elections, Wani said the people have made up their mind to get rid of the BJP and support a Congress-led secular government.

“They have not done a single developmental work. They cannot fool the people of Jammu anymore as all sections of the society have seen the real face of the party,” he said, claiming that there is a wave in favour of Congress in both the Jammu region and the Kashmir Valley.

Wani described the BJP dispensation as “anti-poor and anti-development” and said administrative inertia and lack of political will has increased the people’s sufferings.

“BJP has been instrumental in adding to the misery of people. In an atmosphere of uncertainty and political instability, the people of the J&K in general and Jammu region in particular are passing through the most difficult times,” he said.

A party spokesperson said that several BJP leaders and some social activists joined the Congress at a separate function in Akhnoor in the outskirts of Jammu.