Jammu, Feb 08:Alleging increase in bias and discrimination against Jammu region during the present regime with a highly domineering Kashmiri leadership literally robbing the dogra land of is due and legitimate share, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh JKNPP Chairman and Former Minister today observed that Re-organisation of the state with statehood for Jammu was the only panacea for ills afflicting the region. He said that history bore testimony to the fact that Jammu region had all along remained neglected in various spheres including employment, development etc with Kashmir region holding majority not only in legislature but occupying the highest office of Chief Minster since the formation of the state with a few exceptions. He said that most distressing was the fact that incumbent saffron flavoured govt gave persistent shocks to Jammuites by their ignominious surrenders on all Jammu related issues under the smoke screen of national interest. And all this notwithstanding the fact that BJP had proclaimed themselves as champions of Jammu cause and besides being equal partners in the govt, he lamented. He was addressing a press conference in Jammu today.
Pointing towards the glaring instances of Jammu’s neglect and deprivation Mr. Singh reminisced that civil society had to agitate for months together to get back the prestigious AIIMS project which was shifted to Kashmir despite its original sanction for Jammu. He said that prior to that the people of Jammu had to take to agitationl course for establishment of central University at Jammu. He said that only recently Metro rail project with three corridors has been sanctioned for Srinagar at a whoping cost of Rs. 15881 crore to the neglect of Jammu notwithstanding the fact that Jammu is more vulnerable from traffic point of view with almost half the population of District Srinagar migrating to Jammu in winters. He said that Jammu’s sentiment has again been hurt by denying state subject rights to West Pak Refugees and contrarily providing all facilities to illegal immigrants from Burma and Bangladesh and settling them in Jammu to the utter chagrin and disenchantment of Jammuites at the cost of their security. He said that with the governance in J&K having been virtually hijacked by anti-nationals and separatists, it was impossible for Jammu region to grow and flourish in the present set up.
Describing the bias against Jammu region in the field of employment as most obnoxious, Mr. Singh urged upon the people of Jammu especially the youth to unite for a decisive battle so as to safeguard the progeny, the future generations. He said that it was highly intriguing to note that the Jammu region had been deprived even of the nominal share in employment which was otherwise available to it in erstwhile govts. He regretted that while the Kashmir region walked away with a lion’s share, the BJP was left flaunting a consolation prize with its loud mouthed dunderheads vainly attempting to hoodwink people for having managed a few crumbs.
Pointing towards the most ignominious instances of discrimination in employment during the present regime, Mr. Singh made a particular mention of the select list of constable operators published a couple of days ago, Mr. Singh lamented that out of 642 candidates selected in the General category from the entire State, only 103 candidates comprising of just 16% were selected from Jammu region and the rest 84% had gone in the kitty of Kashmir which was highly shocking and prejudicial in nature. Likewise, 10,000 posts of SPOs sanctioned by the Govt. of India for J&K earlier were out rightly assigned to various districts of Kashmir region with full consent of BJP justifying that the decision had been taken in national interest, Harsh regretted. He accused the BJP ministers in the J&K cabinet for meekly surrendering the posts to Kashmir at the cost of Jammu youth only for the hunger of power.
Mr. Harsh Dev Singh further stated that the deprivation of Jammu in the appointment of SPOs was followed by its neglect in subsequent selections made in the Departments of Education, Health, Planning besides others as well. He said that highly biased selection process became evident from the select list of Asstt. Professors issued by PSC in the disciplines of History, Biotechnology, Computer Sciences, Physics, English, Psychology and Commerce where Jammu region got negligible share in the list despite maximum number of candidates shortlisted from it. Revealing the statistics, Mr. Singh said that out of 34 selected candidates in History, 9 belonged to Jammu region, 7 candidates out of 26 in Physics, 9 in Psychology out of 27, 13 out of 58 in commerce and likewise in other subjects. He further unveiled the highly biased selections in Economics and Statistics Directorate, wherein out of 26 candidates selected for Junior Statistical Assistants only 1 belonged to Jammu region. And in Health and Medical Education department, out of 123 selections of consultants in Radiology, Medicine, Ophthalmology, ENT, Orthopaedics, Gynaecology, Pathology and Paediatrics only 23 belonged to Jammu region, Harsh divulged. He said that despite huge public cry against such injustice the mandated leaders of Jammu failed to respond or react.
Appealing the youth and students to strengthen JKNPP, the lone political voice of Jammu region, for the honour and Justice to dogra land, Mr. Singh said that the ultimate solution lay only in the creation of separate state for Jammu. He said that those opposing state hood for Jammu were only acting as agents of their Kashmiri Masters who had lost their authority in Kashmir and wanted Jammu’s perpetual subjugation so as to continue their black rule over the dogra land.
Mr. Balwant Singh Mankotia State President and Mr. Gagan Partap Singh Gen. Secretary and Spokes-person Young Panthers were also present in the press conference.
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