Congress  supports tomorrow’s Bandh call – Ravinder Sharma

JAMMU, August 25: Congress today announced to support tomorrow’s bandh call to seek unconditional release of detained YRS leaders, abolishing of sarore toll plaza, besides on the issue of smart meters and property tax. 

This was announced here today on behalf of the party by JKPCC Chief Spokesperson Ravinder Sharma in a press briefing at party HQ in the afternoon. He was flanked by senior Congress Leaders Shri Vinod Sharma Incharge HQ, Shri Ved Mahajan Ex-MLC, Shri  Kapil Singh Spokesperson, Shri Neeraj Gupta PCC Secretary  I/C Media Coordination. 

Extending whole hearted support to the Bandh call Mr Ravinder Sharma termed the arrest and detention of Youth leaders as illegal &  arbitrary reflecting the hostile attitude of the LG administration towards the people’s protests on genuine issues. 

Displaying the paper cuttings of the announcement of Road transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, in response to question by the Congress  MP Jebi Mathur in Lok Sabha last year, Mr Sharma said that  the minister had committed in the parliament to remove the toll plazas ,within less than 60 kms  distance in three months. Even after lapse of one year & five months, the announcement has not been implemented, so far. 

He said last year too , transporters and Congress party had launched an agitation at Sarore toll plaza for its removal but government remained adamant and adopted harsh attitude. 

Now the Yuva Rajput Sabha launched a movement to seek implementation of the ministers’ announcement, in this regard, particularly after the bridge at Tarnah, was washed away and the travel time between Kathua & Jammu is more than four hours. Unfortunately they have been booked and detained which reflects the authoritarian approach of the administration with the peace loving people of Jammu. 

Castigating BJP for its total failure to protect the rights and interests of people   in this bureaucratic  regime, which follows the dictates of the centre government , he said where should people go, when their is none to represent them and they are booked for even a smaller protest.

 Had this been the approach of the previous governments, more than half of BJP leaders would have been in jail or facing trials for large scale protests all these yearsin opposition, prior to 2014. He reminded BJP that Sarore toll plaza was abandoned on the protest of BJP but installed by them as soon they came to power. 

Lashing out at the  government over the issue of smart meters and property tax, he said that Congress party is already on the roads to highlight these issues of general public concern but the administration is totally adamant. The people of Jammu are facing heat on every front in the wake of unprecedented taxes amidst record inflation and unemployment. 

He said Congress is continuously protesting on these issues but now it has become a “Jan Andolan”  and it should culminate into withdrawal of frivolous cases and unconditional release of all detained leaders, abolishing of toll plaza at Sarore, and withdrawal of orders of installation of smart meters and property tax. 

The party has appealed to the general public to fully support the bandh call and further strengthen the Jan Andolan , till all these genuine demands of public general are conceded.