Coming down heavily on coalition government, especially BJP for betraying people for the lust of power, Pradesh Youth Congress (PYC) today said that Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh has become non-performing liability because he has failed to come up to the expectations of the common masses and has brazenly betrayed all the promises made with the people from time to time.Addressing a press conference here today, PYC president Pranav Shagotra said that tax on Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims and brutal lathicharge non-local students of NIT Srinagar has exposed double standard of BJP leadership, especially Deputy Chief Minister, who has maintained a criminal silence on these two emotive issues just to enjoy power. “A deep rooted conspiracy is being hatched by some forces are at the helm of the affairs to sabotage Yatra of Mata Vaishno Devi and unfortunately the self-proclaimed pro-Hindu BJP is part of that conspiracy”, alleged Shagotra and argued that silence maintained by the BJP leadership on 12.5 percent tax imposed on the pilgrims of Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims is an indication that BJP is part of the conspiracy to sabotage Mata Vaishno Devi yatra.
Reminding Deputy Chief Minister of his statement, which he had issued on September 10, 2015 that tax, which is perceived as “Jaziya” by the common masses, would be withdrawn within a day or two, PYC president said seven months have been passed but people are still waiting for “day or two”. “It appears that Dr Nirmal Singh has justified Jaziya on the pilgrims of Mata Vaishno because during the last six months he has not uttered even a single word on this issue”, he said regretted that during visit of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to Katra on April 19 people were expecting Deputy Chief Minister would raise this issue but unfortunately nothing has been done in this regard.
Shagotra strongly lambasted BJP leadership in J&K for its failures to raise the issue of imposing 12.5% tax on Yatris in recent visit of Prime Minister. “People are eagerly waiting when Dr Nirmal Singh will fulfil his promise of day or two to withdraw Jaziya”, he said and warned that Youth Congress will not remain as mute spectator on such public related issues.
Regretting that BJP leadership had exploited sentiments of Hindus during Lok Sabha and Assembly elections but in reality this party is working against interests of all sections of the society. “Expect exploiting sentiments of the people, BJP has done nothing to respect feeling of the people”, he said and mentioned that completely surrendering before its coalition partner on tax issue has exposed anti-Hindu face of BJP.
Taking a dig at Deputy Chief Minister for terming brutal lathi-charge on non-local NIT students as mild police action, Mr Shagotra said that it is due to the lust of the power that BJP leadership, especially Dr Nirmal Singh, is demoralizing nationalist forces in J&K. “It is very unfortunate that those who are claiming themselves to be followers of Pandit Prem Nath Dogra and Dr Shayma Prashad Mukherjee are inflicting inhuman atrocities on those students who dared to hoist national Tricolour in the campus of NIT Srinagar”, he said and warned that history will not forgive incumbent BJP leaders, especially Dr Nirmal Singh, for inhuman treatment meted out to non-local students of NIT Srinagar.Other office bearers who joined PYC President in press conference were Satish Sharma, Rajvir Singh (PYC Gen. Secy’s), Balbir Singh, Rajan Sharma (PYC Secy’s) Sandeep Singh Rissam, Chetan Wanchoo, (PYC Spokesperson’s) Charanjeet Singh Chikku (LYC President), Hoshiar Singh Chib, Anoop Gupta, Ricky Dalotra,( LYC Gen.Secy’s), Jagjyot Singh, Sumit Sharma(LYC Secy’s) and others.