Congress Holds Massive Protest, March to LG House After Disclosure on Pulwama Attack
“High Level Probe Needed into Satyapal Malik’s Revelations on Pulwama Attack”: Congress
“Extent of Security Lapse by BJP During Pulwama Incident Must be Investigated”: Congress
Jai Bharat Satyagraha by Congress Against Centre on Silence on Pulwama Issue
JAMMU, April 18:The District Congress Jammu (Urban & Rural) on Tuesday led a massive protest under the Jai Bharat Satyagraha in Jammu after the disclosures regarding the Pulwama attack by former Governor Satyapal Malik. Congress protested against the central government under the chairmanship of PCC President Vikar Rasool Vani, Manoj Yadav Secretary AICC, PCC Working President Raman Bhalla, Former Ministers Mula Ram and Yogesh Sawhney, Ex MLC Ravinder Sharma, Ex MP Tarlok Singh Bajwa, Ex MLA Th. Balwan Singh, Ex MLA Balbir Singh, Manmohan Singh, Rajneesh Sharma and Hari Singh Chib. The demonstration saw huge gathering of Congress members, and protesters marched from Shaheedi Chowk to the LG house to register their protest. The Jai bharat Satyagraha was Organised by District Congress Committee Jammu, I/c President & Former Minister Yogesh Sawhney and District Rural President Th. Hari Singh Chib. There was heavy deployment of police and roads were purposely barricaded and blocked to stop the protesters from marching to the LG House during their peaceful protest. Protesters raised slogans against the Centre, held placards as they marched raising several demands including restoration of statehood for J&K, setting up of an inquiry in the Pulwama Attack in lieu of Satyapal Malik’s comments etc.
Addressing the media during the protest, JKPCC Presisent Vikar Rasool Wani demanded a response from the Center on the sensational comments given by Former Governor Satyapal Malik concerning the Pulwama Attack. Terming it ‘deeply disturbing’, the PCC President said that the lives of the martyrs lost in the incident should not be disrespected and there needs to be an immediate inquiry on the incident to judge the accuracy of the comments made by the Former Governor. Such actions cannot be swept under the rug by the BJP leadership by simply ignoring the revelations made; people need urgent answers as it pertains to the security issue and the honor of our martyred jawans, he said. These are serious allegations as Malik Ji has been the Governor of 4 states, and has first hand experience of the situation in J&K at that time. Modi Ji asked him to maintain silence on the Pulwama attack and as per his comments, the home ministry rejected a proposal to fly down the jawans instead of having them travel by road. This surely cannot be ignored by the Government, Vikar said.
Addressing the gathering, PCC Working President Raman Bhalla, Former Minister J&K heavily condemned the Union Government, calling it “corrupt, and ignorant”. Their fraud nationalism cannot fool people, he said. We urge that a high level probe is set up into the Pulwama attack. Bhalla further stated that the Congress party also strongly demands the restoration of statehood for J&K. Basic political and constitutional rights of people must be given back to the people. It is high time that BJP comes to its senses and starts to listen to the voice of the people, otherwise we will stay on the streets to amplify their voice. From 2019 till today, Jammu Kashmir has seen an unprecedented downfall on all fronts and the situation today is deplorable. Statehood must be restored to place a responsible and accountible elected government which could revive the development and improve the conditions of the people of Jammu Kashmir. Centre is least concerned about Jammu, they are only concerned with saving their own face. We will not stop fighting for statehood and our constitutional rights, Bhalla said.
Speaking during the demonstration, senior Congress leader Manoj Yadav, Secretary AICC said that it must be investigated if intelligence inputs had been ignored by the Modi Government prior to the Pulwama incident. This concerns natinal security issue and public safety and is beyond party politics. There is a need for accountability here, Manoj Yadav said. The Modi Government cannot get away with silence. 40 CRPF Jawans lost their lives and where is BJP’s nationalism now? The central agencies must take up the investigation through an unbiased and independent investigation, he said.
Former Minister Mula Ram said that in order to bring out the truth about the Pulwama incident, Congress will keep raising its voice. If there was a big conspiracy behind the Pulwama incident, it must be uncovered. The nation wide Satyagraha will continue to raise national issues.
Former Minister Yogesh Sawhney, I/C Jammu (U) spoke during the Satyagraha and stated that it is shocking that such a huge statement from Hon’ble Former Governor of a state has drawn no response from the government. This points to the ignorance and the unaccountable attitude BJP leadership carries in their governance. The priorities of the BJP start with keeping in power, helping their rich corporate friends, and ends there. The striking contrast between BJP’s reaction on defending and protecting the likes of the Adani group and their reaction on critical national issues such as these paints a very clear picture of what is important to the Modi Government. In other words, Money and Power are dear to the BJP government but National Security, Unemployment, Price Rise, Corruption are not important to them and hence, they refuse to either address or tackle these. BJP governance is causing deterioration of the Indian democratic system from inside out and Congress party will not stand by it, he said. There is a serious need for answers now and Modi Government cannot find their way out of this with white lies and manipulation of people’s sentiments, Sawhney said.
Hari Singh Chib President DCC Jammu Rural, further attacked the union government for ignoring the issues of Jammu Kashmir. Simultaneous to the national disintegration, people of Jammu Kashmir are also witnessing a huge decline in economic conditions, development and a surge in unemployment and prices of essential commodities. All schemes such as the Smart City program are scams and remain only on paper; Jammu Kashmir needs its own government and statehood. The BJP government must heed to the genuine demands of the public, he said.
Pawan Raina, Satish Sharma, Parnav Shagotra, Narinder Gupta, Gurdarshan Singh, Sanjeev Sharma, Sahil Singh, Rajvir Singh, Karan Bhagat, Corporators Dwarka Choudhary, Rajinder Kumar, Ritu Choudhary, Vinod Sharma, Thomas Khokhar, Dr. Ramakant Khajuria, Pawan Dev Singh, Varinder Manhas, Sat pal Spolia, Kuldeep Verma, Prem Singh, Jatin Vashisht, Atul Sharma, Pawan Sharma, Vijay Malhotra, Tamanna Heer, Chandershekhar Sharma, Pradeep Bhalla, H. S Baggi, Balbir Thakyal, Rakesh Kumar, Sunil Sharma, Nageshwar Narayan, Ashok Sharma, Yash Pal Sarangal, Anoop Gupta, Hoshiar Singh, Balbir Singh, Ajay Kumar, Jai pal, Madhu Sudan, Rishu Kumar, Dewan Chand, Romesh Raina, Davinder Bhardwaj, Anil Kumar, Raj Kumar Mehra, Raj Kumar Sodhi, Mandeep Singh, Garu ram, Surinder Kumar, Sahil Dogra, Janak Raj Mehra, Rishab Kohli, Latish Sharma, Paras Ram Baloria, Gopal Sharma, Gagan, Ajab Singh, Som nath Sharma, Rumal Singh, Parshotum Singh, Dev Raj, Kamal Singh, Ganesh Kumar, Capt. Khushi Ram, Jatinder Bhagat, Kuldeep Sharma, Ajay Singh, Shabaz Ahmad, Aman Singh, Om Prakesh were also Present at the Protest.
(NOTE: PRESS RELEASE PUBLISHED AS RECEIVED)
