STATE TIMES NEWS
RAMNAGAR: Ridiculing the slogans of “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas” and “Achhe Din” given by the BJP govt over the last six years, Harsh Dev Singh, JKNPP Chairman and Former Minister expressed grave concern over the pathetic plight of the people. He said that during his tour of various villages in the ongoing DDC elections, he interacted with the poor, indigent, deprived people were left at the mercy of God by the govt. While poor are becoming poorer, the rich are getting richer, Harsh rued. He was addressing huge public meetings today at Jandror, Surni, Badhole, Panjgrain, Chanunta, Amroh, Marta, Dheeran and Dhanwalat villages of DDC Ramnagar-I and DDC Ramnagar-II alongwith Party candidates Mr. Vinod Kumar and Mr. Rampaul Bhagat.
Addressing the gatherings, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh rebuked the J&K govt for selective anti-encroachment drive. He cautioned the administration to evict the big fish having usurped State and Forest lands worth millions and trillions before laying their hands upon the poor and the landless. He strongly condemned the eviction of poor and landless, bulldozing of Kacha houses besides the ‘rehris’ and ‘pharis’ being operated by poor people to earn their two square meals a day. While several top politicians including the Ex-Ministers, MLAs, MPs of the Saffron party having encroached huge tracts of govt land remained untouched, the poor and the wretched were harassed and persecuted, Harsh maintained. Asserting that big corporate houses and business cartels were flourishing everywhere, the poor were ruthlessly looted and plundered. He said that with over one year of communication blockade in the form of 4G denial to the common masses, it had operated harshly against the interests of students, youth, traders and the common man. “The rural youth are the worst sufferers who have been facing problems while submitting on line applications for higher studies and jobs. Crores of rupees have been siphoned off from the pockets of the people by the govt in league with telecom giants who continued to levy 4G tariff and deliver 2G services to the subscribers”, said Harsh.
Mr. Harsh Dev Singh further pointed out while the Union govt had announced sops for the big corporate houses and the super rich by reducing corporate tax by 10%, the economically weaker and lesser privileged sections of society continue to bear the brunt of fast spiraling prices of petrol, diesel, domestic cylinders, freight and transportation charges. He said that it was disturbing to note that while govt had surrendered Rs. 1.45 lakh crores so as benefit the super rich by reducing the corporate tax, it had failed to slash the excise duty and road cess on diesel and petrol whose sky-rocketing prices constituted the most menacing threat to the pockets of the common man. He said that rapid increase in the prices of the staple vegetables like onions, potatoes and tomatoes besides groceries including cereals, edible oils and pulses, etc. posed a threat to the very survival of the poor and under privileged especially in a situation when the country faced a massive economic slowdown.”While the oil companies, the telecom companies and others are making huge profits, the poor and the indigents are crushed under the Saffron rule. The BJP is pro-rich and anti-poor”, Harsh slammed BJP.
Alleging gross neglect of rural populace and farmers by the BJP regime, Mr. Singh said that the new farm bills passed by the parliament of late had triggered nation-wide protests. “Govt is not bothered about the interests of the farmers. They are languishing under severe cold with no one to pay heed to their genuine demands. The farmers of Jammu are equally suffering”, regretted Harsh. Urging the people to overthrow the failed leadership and support NPP in the ongoing elections, he said that people had paid a very heavy price for voting these opportunist leaders who worked solely for their own loaves and fishes. They need to go, roared Harsh.