BJP always pursue deceitful acts to hoodwink people during polls: Azad
5 Dariya News (Muzaffar Bhat, Rouf Pampori)
Basohli/Bani 12-Apr-2014
Coming down heavy on opposition BJP leadership for piding the society on religion and caste lines, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad today said that "Congress party does not play politics of religion, as there are so many other things to offer to the people of the state as well as the country."Charging BJP leadership for indulging into deceitful tactics to hoodwink the gullible people, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister and Congress candidate for Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seat Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad further pointed out that except exploiting sentiments of the people, the BJP leadership in state as well as in rest of the country have done nothing concrete for the common masses.
Addressing series of public meetings in hilly belts of Basohli and Bani Assembly segments of Kathua district in connection with the ongoing campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, Union Minister Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad said that BJP leadership has always exploited sentiments of the people of Jammu region and it has failed to come up to the expectation of the people. While on the other hand, Mr Azad said that "Congress party has always efforted for the development of the country and formulated policies for the upliftment of the poor and down trodden population. Thundreds of power projects, Schools, Universities, Colleges, laying of numerous highways, flyovers, Establishment of numer of Super Speciality Hospitals, setting up of new Medical Colleges, connecting majority of the villages with town areas and town areas with cities are just few examples out of the long list of Congress parties' achievements made for the people of the country."
Lashing out at BJP for its pisive politics, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad said that "political parties like BJP, who have nothing to offer to the people and have done nothing for the welfare of the state, just fall back upon religion and caste lines to muster support to grab power. Use of religion and caste during elections is fatal for Indian democracy."He further said that "We can sustain and flourish the democracy only as long as the elections are on the basis of policies and programmes irrespective of any caste, colour or religion. Playing with religion is just like playing unity and integrity of the country and for Congress, unity and integrity is more important than any other issues." "If we have to choose between unity and integrity of the country and power, we will stand by unity and integrity of the nation and will not opt for power taken on communal lines like BJP."
Striking an emotional chord with the hilly populace, Mr Azad said that he also belongs to remote and hilly belt and he understands the problems being faced by the people of hilly terrain. He reminded the people of the developmental projects especially the road connectvities in rural and hilly areas initiated during his tenure as chief minister. This hilly belt of Bani and Basohli has almost similar problems and issues like that erstwhile Doda district comprising Kishtwar, Banihal, Ramban, Bhaderwah, Doda and Gool belts of Jammu Province. I assure you that these problems and issues would be taken on priority basis soon after the conclusion of Model Code of Conduct.
Questioning the credibility of the state BJP leaders, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad stated that whenever the people of Jammu region have cast votes in favour of BJP they (people) were betrayed and back-stabbed by the party (BJP) every time. To substantiate his allegation, Mr Azad narrated 2008 Assembly elections’ example when BJP had brazenly exploited sentiments of the people and managed to get 11 Assembly seats. “Everything is before you as how duly elected MLAs of BJP had blatantly watched their vested interests and did nothing for the people who voted them to become Legislators”, he said and cautioned the people against exploitive agenda of BJP.Accompanied by sitting MP from Jammu-Poonch and senior COngress leader, Mr Madan Lal Sharma, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad further reminded the gathering that a comprehensive development policy was formulated during his tenure as chief minister of the state to accelerate developmental activities in remotest and far-off areas. He said that special attention was paid to those areas of Jammu region which remained neglected for decades together.
“Detailed Project Reports for road connectivity were prepared and the same sanctioned so that the people of the remote belts are connected with the town areas. Most of the villages especially of the Kandi terrain of Jammu and Kashmir have been connected with roads while the work is on to complete the remaining road network,” highlighted Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad further adding that “Number of Tourism Development Authorities including Lakhanpur-Sarthal Tourism Development Authority has been created to boost tourism potential in these areas. This will help the local population to further add on to their source of earnings.”“It is Congress’ vision that has created vast infrastructure in the country since Independence. There was not even enough food grain to feed the countrymen. It was the visionary approach of Congress stalwarts like Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, Mrs Indira Gandhi, Mr Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi that led the country to become a prosperous nation. It was due to Congress, that India is in position to export food-grain to other countries. It is all due to the policies of Congress party that medicines manufactured by us are being exported in over 100 countries. Even American President Barrack Obama takes medicines manufactured in India,” highlighted Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad and questioned, “name any other political party than Congress, which contributed any sort of its role in making India a strong nation”.
Seeking support of the people to accelerate developmental activities in hilly areas of Billawar, Basohli and Bani of Kathua district, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad said that he has a specific vision for these areas. “These hilly belts have huge tourism potential and it is need of the hour to exploit this potential to improve socio-economic conditions of the people”, he said.Exhorting the people to strengthen Congress party, Mr Azad who was also accompanied by Minister for Cooperatives, Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, former Minister of State for Finance, Prem Sagar Aziz and senior Congress leader from Bani, Rajnish Mian Sharma, said that Congress was committed to change fate of the people of Jammu region. “Congress Minister in the National Conference-Congress government have proved how to protect wishes and aspirations of the people of Jammu region”, he said and added that “the creation of new districts and hundreds of new administrative units has again proved that Congress has always prepared its policies and programmes keeping in view the interests of common masses. These new administrative units will make revolutionary changes in rural and remote belts of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Seeking to compare the performance of UPA government with NDA rule, the Congress leader Madan Lal Sharma said, “We lifted 15 crore people from poverty in the 10 years which is five times more than that during NDA's time. The progressive policies of UPA, 70 per cent of the population was above the poverty line and for the remaining 30 per cent efforts were being made to bring them into the fold of the middle class”. Recalling flagship schemes like MGNREGA, Land Reorganisation Act, RTI and Lokpal legislation to showcase achievements of Mr Manmohan Singh government, he said, “BJP tried to create hurdles before enactment of all these schemes and legislations”, he said. Listing achievements of UPA government, he said, “India has achieved "near universal education" at the primary school level due to Right to Education and the dropout rates have also decreased. The outlay for education has been constantly increased. Central universities increased from 17 to 44 during 2004-13.”Mr Madan Lal Sharma also said that UPA Government at Centre and NC-Congress coalition in J&K has taken many revolutionary steps for the betterment and up-liftment of the people. He especially mentioned various steps taken for the development of Kandi and hilly areas of Kathua district.