Senior Congress leader Mr M K Bhardwaj has said that the farmers’ uprising across the country is a testimony to the fact that BJP and its ruling allies have hoodwinked the suffering farming community by making hollow promises to ameliorate their lot. Promises made to the farmers by Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi during 2014 Lok Sabha elections have in fact turned out to be mere ‘JUMLAs’ as their plight has further worsened in the last three years.Addressing an impressive rally of farmers and agricultural workers here on Sunday to protest against the BJP-run Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh governments’ conspiracy to prevent Congress vice-president Mr Rahul Gandhi from reaching Mandasur (Madhya Pradesh) where peacefully protesting farmers were mercilessly killed by the state police, he said it only reflected BJP’s nervousness.Praising Mr Gandhi for steadfastly fighting for the farmers’ cause, he said that his decision to walk through the fields in view of heavy police deployment to prevent him from reaching the affected families is a vindication of Congress’ concern and commitment for farmers and other deprived sections of the society. Braving hot and humid weather a large number of farmers of Bishnah region gathered to highlight their plight on account of continuous neglect particularly by the BJP-PDP coalition government. They raised slogans against both the Centre and the state dispensations and warned them to hit the streets if promises made by PM Modi and the BJP Deputy chief minister and ministers in the state were not fulfilled in a time bound manner.
Mr Bhardwaj said that farmers in entire Jammu region have become restive due to total neglect by the government. He lamented that the Centre and the state governments for hatching a conspiracy against farmers and people of the state living in the border areas. On one hand due to wrong policies of the Centre situation at border with Pakistan including International Border and the LoC has become volatile and at times explosive. On the other side nothing has been done to provide relief to these people who repeatedly get uprooted due to unprovoked firing by Pakistan.The senior Congress leader wondered as to where have all the promises of creating safe zones for these people gone. What is more unfortunate is the criminal silence of the state government on this front.He also castigated the Centre for ignoring Jammu’s border region in the matter of developing model villages where all safeguards would be taken to protect the natives from Pak firing and ensure there peaceful living. If the reports emanating from Union Home Ministry are an indication only 24 such model villages are to be set up all along the border from Kathua to Tanghdhar in Kashmir. This is utterly shameful and deceptive.
Mr Bhardwaj further drew attention to poor condition of roads and irrigation network in the region and pathetic power and water supply. All this combined together has added to woes of people particularly the farmers in this hot and sultry weather.He also expressed shock at the administration wilfully delaying the cases of those people of the area who have applied for State Subject certificates. Despite our repeated warnings the authorities concerned have refused to budge. It is better the certificates are issued without any further delay or else the authorities should be prepared to face people’s ire.Congress leaders Dr. Manohar Lal Sharma, former minister and Sh. Ashok Sharma, former MLA and former MLC expressed grave concern against the growing tendency of the ruling dispensations in Delhi and in the state to divert attention from the burning problems being faced by the general public through raking up flimsy-emotional issues.Addressing an impressive kissan ralley organised by the Congress functionaries and workers of the area here today, they said that the BJP led Government at the Centre and it’s coalition in Jammu and Kashmir are in perpetual election mood and are busy only handing over false promises without fulfilling commitments.They asked the party leaders and rank and file to remain alert against such tendencies of the BJP-PDP combine and aggressively counter their false propaganda being made in the name of development.
“This is our duty to explain to the people about the ground realities which portray a dismal picture as people all over the state are suffering due to neglect of developmental aspects”. They assured the farmers, women, youth and the labour class present in the ralley that the congress as an opposition party shall not leave any stone unturned to raise the voice of this class of people in the society Addressing the gathering, Prominent Congress worker and social activist of the area Mr. Ashok Dubey said that the entire Bishnah Tehsil has been neglected by the state authorities. Despite being the closest town to Jammu, Bishnah has not witnessed any development in the past ten years. Government should come up with immediate plans to improve basic infrastructure which is lacking in the entire tehsil. Mr. Dubey further said that the consumers should be charged only for actual consumption of electricity or the authorities should supply 24 hours power if the consumers are being charged at flat rates. He also said that agriculturist and farmers should be provided free electricity to run their tubewells as the authorities have failed to provide water in the entire Bishnah Tehsil.Among those who address the gathering included were Sh. Ashwani Puri(organising secretary PCCI),Sh. Bodh Raj Bali, Ratan Lal, Sh, Bishan Das Sharma(majua), Sh. Dewan Chand(Kissan Leader), Ghar Singh Saini, Dr. Nagarmal Chaudhary, Ex. Chairman (Arnia Municipality), Ratan Lal, Capt. Janak Raj, Sub. Vijay Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Kirpal Singh, Anil Kumar, Avinash Sharma, Kasturi Lal Lambardar, Ghanshyam Sharma, Darshan Kumar, Joginder Singh, Master Prem ji, Kuldeep Kumar, Parshotam Kumar, Thoru Ram(lambardar) and many others.