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| JKPCC accuses BJP of betraying people, plunging J&K into unprecedented crisis | |
Ramgarh (Samba), October 11 (Scoop News)-In a strong political offensive against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Working President of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) and former Minister Raman Bhalla on Saturday said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are passing through the most difficult and uncertain phase in recent history due to the “misrule and misdeeds” of the BJP.
Addressing a massive gathering of Congress workers, party leaders, and local residents at Ramgarh town in Samba district, Bhalla said that the BJP, despite being in power both at the Centre and in the Union Territory, has failed miserably on every front—be it governance, employment generation, peace, or development.
“The common man is suffering silently. Prices of essentials are skyrocketing, youth are unemployed, farmers are distressed, small traders are struggling to survive, and employees are feeling insecure about their future. Yet, the BJP leaders are more interested in publicity and political drama than addressing the real concerns of the people,” Bhalla charged.
Mr. Bhalla was in Ramgarh to formally launch the Congress’s new public initiative — the “Vote Adhikar” (Right to Vote) signature campaign. The campaign, according to him, is a symbolic and collective movement to awaken the public against what he described as “growing electoral manipulation, misuse of institutions, and erosion of democratic values” under BJP rule.
He said the Congress has taken upon itself the responsibility of protecting the sanctity of the ballot and ensuring that the will of the people is not undermined by money or muscle power.
“The ‘Vote Adhikar’ campaign is not merely a petition drive; it is a people’s movement to remind the nation that democracy survives only when every citizen’s vote counts equally and fearlessly,” Bhalla said.
The campaign evoked an overwhelming response in Ramgarh, with people from all walks of life — students, farmers, women, traders, and retired employees — coming forward to sign the pledge demanding transparency, accountability, and reforms in the electoral process. Local Congress leaders said the campaign would soon be extended to every block and panchayat of Jammu and Kashmir.
Launching a blistering critique of the BJP-led administration, Bhalla accused it of “gross negligence” towards vital economic sectors, particularly tourism.
He said the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack had caused a major setback to Kashmir’s tourism sector, yet the authorities have done little to restore public confidence. “The Valley’s tourism, once the backbone of our economy and a symbol of our composite culture, has almost collapsed. Hotels are empty, local artisans are idle, and taxi operators are struggling to make ends meet,” he said.
Bhalla added that religious tourism has also been adversely affected, citing the example of the August 26 landslides that disrupted the Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage. “Even after weeks, the administration has failed to restore the yatra smoothly. Pilgrims continue to face hardships, which reflects total administrative apathy,” he lamented.
He alleged that the government’s tall claims of promoting tourism and pilgrimage are “mere headlines without ground results.”
Reiterating the Congress’s long-standing demand for the immediate restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, Bhalla said that the BJP has betrayed the people by going back on its repeated assurances.
“Before every election, BJP leaders promise that statehood will be restored soon, but once the polls are over, they conveniently forget their commitment. The people of Jammu and Kashmir cannot be fooled any longer. Congress will take this fight to every doorstep until the rights and dignity of our people are restored,” he declared.
Bhalla emphasized that statehood is not a political demand but a constitutional right, and its denial has disempowered the people, weakened democratic institutions, and centralized power in bureaucratic hands. “The bureaucracy is unaccountable, decisions are delayed, and the voice of the common man is being suppressed,” he added.
Continuing his tirade against the BJP, the former minister said that the ruling party has “mastered the art of propaganda” to divert public attention from its failures. “Instead of development, they have given the people disillusionment; instead of jobs, they have given joblessness; instead of peace, they have given uncertainty,” Bhalla remarked.
He accused the BJP of attempting to polarize society for electoral gains, while ignoring the fundamental issues of governance, public welfare, and economic stability. “They have divided people on communal lines but failed to unite them for progress,” he said.
Bhalla announced that the “Vote Adhikar” campaign would be followed by a series of district and block-level programmes across the Union Territory to mobilize the youth and rebuild people’s faith in democracy. He called upon Congress workers to reach every village and ward with the party’s message of unity, equality, and justice.
“Congress is determined to revive democratic culture and strengthen public institutions. Our fight is not just political—it is moral and constitutional. We will not rest until Jammu and Kashmir regains its statehood and dignity,” he asserted.
Saturday’s programme was organized by former minister Yash Paul Kundal and witnessed the participation of several senior party functionaries and grassroots leaders.
Among those who addressed the gathering were Sanjeev Sharma (District President, Samba), Babal Gupta (Working President, Samba), Vijay Choudhary (Ex-Sarpanch), Manjeet Choudhary (Block President, Ramgarh), Tanveer Singh Sardar, Tirath Ram Bhagat, Kewal Raina, Bajan Singh, Krishan Pal, Kulvinder Singh, and Ashok (Minority Cell).
Speakers highlighted local development issues, alleged administrative neglect in border areas, and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the Congress at the grassroots level.
The event concluded with a collective pledge to take the “Vote Adhikar” campaign to every nook and corner of Jammu and Kashmir to “reclaim democracy and restore people’s rights.”
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