JAMMU: Expressing immense shock over the loss of property and life caused by the persistent heavy mortar shelling and firing by Pakistan on the forward villages of IB and LoC ,a strong contingent of Panther activists staged a massive protest demonstration spearheaded by Mr. Harsh Dev Singh Chairman JKNPP and Mr.Yashpal Kundal State President Young Panthers at Exhibition Ground Jammu today. The angry protestors raised anti-Pak slogans and slammed the Central as well as the State govt. for their despicable apathy and gross failure to provide succour to the border residents of Jammu region as promised by both the governments.
Harsh Dev Singh while addressing the media condemned Pakistan for pounding the forward villages all along the IB and LoC with heavy shelling and firing which had thrown the life of the people out of gear. He said that the border residents were living in horrifying atmosphere and the BJP partnered State government had paid no heed to their plight and miseries as of now. He pointed out that the children, women and aged were the worst sufferers of the Pak misadventure who were looking at the administration for an immediate relief and rehabilitation to safer zones. He further maintained that the frequent attacks on civilians were the worst features of border skirmishes and the border villages had turned into war zones with sounds of falling mortar shells and automatic weapons. He added that several human lives and livestock had perished during incessant firing and shelling besides heavy damage had been caused to the crops.
Deeply anguished over the miserable plight of the border dwellers all along the IB and LoC in Jammu region, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh expressed hisresentment against the Central and State government’s apathy for not providing any ex-gratia relief to the families and employment to next of kin of the persons killed during the terrifying shelling as promised by them. He said that the Saffron leaders and the Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir had been doling promises and assurances to the border residents time and again for their relief and rehabilitation but nothing tangible had been delivered so far. He reiterated his demanded for an immediate allotment of 5 Marla of land for each family at safer zones, ex-gratia of Rs. 20 lacs each of the family of the person killed in Pak firing, Rs.5 lacs each to the family of the injured and employment for the next of kin of the deceased under the provisions of SRO 43 and adequate assessment based compensation for the loss of crops and cattle stock as relief and rehabilitation measures for the affected people living in the forward hamlets. He wondered that how could BJP Ministers enjoy the loaves of power and keep their ally in good humour when their own people were afflicted with pain, chagrin and outrage. He cautioned the BJP to address the issues of the border residents seriously and stop making their contemptuous mockery by betraying them on false assurances. He asked the BJP to provide the promised relief to them without any delay otherwise the seething anger of the people would throw the Saffron party on the mat only to bite the dust.While lambasting Pakistan for sponsoring terror and creating war like situation in the State, he exhorted the GoI to take a stringent and deterrent action against the belligerent enemy so that it could be restrained once for all from carrying out further misadventures.
Yashpal Kundal raising voice in conformity with the genuine demands of the people living along the IB and LoC demanded provision of reservation besides other benefits and privileges for the border dwellers at par with the residents of ALC pertaining to government jobs etc. He regretted that the tall pronouncement of the BJP for conducting Special Recruitment Drive had proven to be mere rhetoric. He demanded that the local youth residing in border areas should be absorbed under Special Recruitment drive for Police, Armed and Paramilitary forces without any delay. The NPP leaders vowed that Panthers party shall stand with the border residents in all odds and circumstances and assured the people that it shall not relent unless all the demands of the people and the affected families in particular were addressed by both the Central and the State governments.
Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion included Rajesh Padgotra, Gagan Pratap, Shyam Gorkha, Nirmal Kishore, Khajoor Singh, Kewal Krishan Sharma, Rakesh Sharma, Ashok Chouhan, Anil Rakwal, Uday veer besides others.
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