NC calls for simultaneous Assembly & Parliament polls in J&K

Popular Govt only solution to end people’s woes: Rattan Lal

JAMMU, NOV 7: Rattan Lal Gupta, Provincial President Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) Jammu has urged the Election Commission of India to hold the Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir along with the upcoming Parliamentary elections. Castigating the present government for its failure to address the multiple problems being faced by the people of J&K, he said that installation of a popular Govt in J&K at the earliest is the only solution to the aforesaid problems. 

The senior NC leader expressed this while addressing the meeting of JKNC Schedule Caste Cell at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhawan Jammu today. The meeting was organized under the chairmanship of Vijay Lochan Chairman SC Cell which was attended by the party functionaries from Jammu and Samba Districts. 

At the beginning of meeting, the Provincial officer bearers besides District and Block Presidents of SC cell apprised the senior party functionaries about the various   problems being faced by SC community people under the present government with none in the Administration bothering to listen to their woes and ignored Scheduled caste community.

Rattan Lal Gupta, who was the chief guest of the meeting, said that the Govt is launching the 5th phase of the ‘Back to Village’ programme today and I appeal to the LG  administration to first clarify as to what has been achieved during the first four phases of this much hyped programme. He claimed that the people’s issues continue to remain the same even today. 

He said that still the conditions of School buildings are unsafed in rural areas, the conditions of water supply and electricity are not improved, the conditions of  medical facilities are worsen in rural areas,  woes of farmers and unemployed youth are not addressed  and all the promises made with the villagers are not fulfilled during the previous four phases of Back to village .

The Provincial President said that it is an irony that the LG administration failed to restore the confidence among the people which he could have easily achieved by restoring democracy in J&K. He questioned the ECI that if the Govt can hold Parliament elections in J&K, then what is the hitch in holding the Assembly elections? He said that this has completely exposed the saffron party as it fears an unprecedented defeat in the Assembly elections. He demanded that the Govt should immediately restore democracy in J&K by holding elections.

Vijay Lochan while criticizing the present government accused it of failure to secure the rights of SC people in J&K who are in dire straits today. He said that rights of SC community were always protected under the previous regimes headed by the National Conference. He asserted that it was National Conference that brought and implemented the law providing for land to tillers as a result of which 90 percent SCs and deprived classes people were the beneficiaries. Even under the Land Reforms Act 90 per cent beneficiaries were SCs and depressed classes people, he added.

Sheikh Bashir Ahmed, Provincial Secretary JKNC asked party cadre to gear up for upcoming polls and ensure party’s unprecedented success in the upcoming polls teaching BJP a lesson. He asserted that National Conference alone is capable of providing social justice to the SCs and other deprived community members, asking them to strengthen the hands of Dr Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah. He also asked the party cadre to strengthen the party at gross root level.

Among those who were present include Rakesh Singh Raka Vice President Central Zone, Satpal,  Krishan Datt District President Samba SC Cell, Jatinder Singh District President Jammu Rural B SC Cell, Master Baldev Raj, Jagga Ram, Lal Ji, Mangat Ram, Kuldeep Raj, Karan Singh, Mohinder Kumar, Rattan Lal, Ashwani Kumar and others