SAMBA: As a part of `Jan Jagran Abhiyan’ against rise in fuel prices, inflation and faulty policies of the Narendra Modi Government, JKPCC Vice President and former Minister Raman Bhalla led a strong protest, here on Thursday.The protest rally, organised by DCC President Sanjeev Sharma and Babal Gupta, passed through various Bazaars holding placards, flags and raising slogans against BJP Govt.Speaking on the occasion, Bhalla said the economy was in a precarious state and unemployment was rising sharply, while the Central Government was selling public property to industrialist friends.”From Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to Dr Manmohan Singh, Congress Governments built this country through various schemes, institutions, development works but the present Modi Government has sold the Railways, Airports, Ports, roads, public sector banks, Insurance companies, Power generation to its industrialist friends and enslaved the people of the country to the rich,” he alleged.”The people of our country are suffering because of the policies of the Narendra Modi Government. Our campaign is to highlight their concerns and hopefully jolt this Government into action. The prices of essential commodities, edible items, LPG cylinder, petrol and diesel have gone up in the last 18 months,” he said.Bhalla also demanded immediate restoration of the Statehood before announcing Assembly elections in the Jammu and Kashmir. This, he said, will be in the larger interest of the country, people, Central Government and democracy.He said if the elections are held before restoring full Statehood, it will be grave injustice with people of J&K. “We don’t want Delhi or Pondicherry like States where Lt Governor has all the powers,” he said, adding this is a border State where on one side there is China and other side Pakistan.”We want safeguard of our land and employment just like Uttrakhand and Himachal Pradesh (HP), where no outsider can purchase land,” he said and claimed that the people of the Union Territory were not happy with Home Minister Amit Shah’s “roadmap” of holding the polls followed by Statehood restoration.Prominent among those present on the occasion, included JKPYC President Uday Bhanu Chib, Sewa Dal Vice President Vijay Sharma Babbi, OBC Department Chairmen Suresh Kr Dogra, SC Cell Vice Chairman Karan Bhagat, Kamar Singh and Anita Devi, District President PDP, who joined the Congress party in this programme.
