National Conference’s long struggle and series of protests , demonstrations culminated in a large indefinite sit –in Dharna at the Ban Toll Plaza here this morning which forced the Toll authorities to waive off the Toll Tax for the people of Nagrota constituency.Provincial President National Conference Devender Singh Rana addressing a largely attended sit –in-Dharna termed this as the victory of the people of the Nagrota who joined the struggle to fight the nexus between the contractor, goons and top leaders of BJP who held the people to ransom and were fleecing toll from the local people which was illogical, illegal, irrational and unconstitutional. He lauded the role of the people of Nagrota in this peaceful struggle and paid tribute to their patience despite all provocations.Notwithstanding scorching heat, the protesters kept raising anti-coalition and anti-centre slogans and seeking waiver of toll for the locals and roll back of service tax on Vaishno Devi helicopter service. They took out an impressive rally and held sit-in Dharna at the Ban Toll Plaza.
As the indefinite Dharna was going on, Rana got a message from the administration that the demand for No toll for locals of Nagrota constituency and rationalized toll for the residents of Jammu and Kathua District had been acceded. He announced it to the rallysits amid huge applause and called off the Dharna.The MLA described the very levying of toll to the local residents as unethical and illogical, which had forced the law abiding people to defy it but for the good sense prevailing on the government. He held the BJP squarely responsible for this deliberately.Rana described levying of toll as bestowing benefit to senior BJP politicians and said the Centre was applying all tactics to shield the unscrupulous lobby, which had created a reign of terror in connivance with the contractor and goons to fleece the commuters however they had to bow before the will of the people.
He wondered over consigning the recommendation of Minister for PWD Altaf Bukhari with regard to rationalization of toll tax and waiving it off for the Nagrota residents in the dustbin. “Who was over-ruling the State Government’s recommendation to save the BJP lobby indulging in unethical activities”, he questioned.Terming the imposition of service tax on chopper operations on Mata Vaishno Devi route as a sinister design to vitiate communal atmosphere, Provincial President National Conference Devender Singh Rana on Thursday unfolded the PDP-BJP game-plan behind it.“The unholy duo wants to incite majority community across the country so that the issue gets communal colour and generates reaction from the other community”, Rana said.
He said the PDP and BJP have been beneficiaries of regional tension and communal polarization of 2008 Amarnath land row agitation and therefore they want to repeat it again to combat growing public disenchantment against their government, which has totally failed on all fronts at take off stage. “They are miscalculating the public mood both in the Jammu and the Kashmir region, as their duplicity, hypocrisy and deceit stands exposed”, he said, adding that any misadventure to put the state on flames will recoil back severely. He said the obtaining scenario in the aftermath of tax imposition calls for its immediate withdrawal before situation goes out of hands, the responsibility of which will solely lie on the obstructionist combination.
Rana warned the coalition government against testing the public patience, saying the provocative decision of service tax imposition will not break the unity of people. “Let they see how the people of all faiths are protesting over the insensitive decision”, he said, adding the pilgrim tourism has generated stakes among all segments of the society. “Jammu and Kashmir is the only state across the country where the pilgrimage of one faith is being facilitated by the other faith in true spirit of its pluralistic ethos”, he said and wished the myopic PDP-BJP to have understood this unique feature of the state’s glorious heritage.
The Provincial President hoped the tyrannical government to end its fixed match and see the writing on wall. “Sooner they rescind the order better it will be for inclusiveness of the State”, he maintained.Prominent among those who addressed the protesters included Mr Ajay Kumar Sadhotra, Th Rachpal Singh, Aijaz Jan, Mr Kashmira Singh and Mr Brij Mohan Sharma besides local NC leaders, Sarpanches and prominent people of the Nagrota constituency. (KNS)