Kashmir Impulse Desk
Jammu, Aug 17
Jammu and Kashmir’s main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party staged protests in Jammu on Monday, accusing Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s National Conference (NC)-led government of corruption, administrative failure, and delaying elections to local bodies.
Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Sunil Sharma said the government had “crossed all limits of corruption” and accused it of failing unemployed young people, daily-wage workers and other sections of society.
“The elected government, which has been in power in J&K for the past two years, is responsible for injustice to every section of society,” Sharma told reporters on the sidelines of a BJP protest rally.
He also accused the administration of obstructing elections to Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies, saying the delay had resulted in the loss of large amounts of funds.
The BJP organised what it called an “Aakrosh rally” in Jammu to protest against the Omar Abdullah government, with party workers and elected representatives taking part.
Sharma rejected allegations from the ruling National Conference-Congress camp that the government was being prevented from functioning because of the delay in restoring full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
He warned that the ruling coalition could not use statehood as an excuse for shortcomings in governance.
“The people would not pardon it if the NC-Congress government continued to use the excuse of statehood to maltreat Jammu and Kashmir and ignore all these burning issues,” Sharma said.
The protest began from three locations – Dogra Chowk near the Press Club, Maheshpura Chowk in Bakshi Nagar and near the Radio Station in Panjtirthi.
Protesters marched towards Indira Chowk after raising slogans against the government and burning effigies of the ruling National Conference.
The protesters later moved towards the Civil Secretariat, where police stopped them.
The demonstration ended peacefully after BJP leaders addressed the gathering.
J&K BJP president and Rajya Sabha member Sat Sharma led the protest along with Sharma, Lok Sabha member Jugal Kishore Sharma, Rajya Sabha member Ghulam Ali Khatana, former deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh and several legislators and party leaders.
Sat Sharma accused the government of failing to meet its election commitments and said basic services, including roads, electricity, drinking water and public works, had suffered.
He said the BJP would intensify its political campaign until the government addressed what the party described as widespread public grievances.
Sunil Sharma accused the National Conference government of using political arguments to deflect attention from problems facing youth, farmers, employees, traders, sportspersons and ordinary residents.
Jugal Kishore Sharma said the BJP would continue to highlight what it described as failures of the administration.
Ghulam Ali Khatana said governance could not be based on speeches and blame and urged the government to focus on development and public services.
Nirmal Singh accused the government of failing to satisfy different regions and sections of Jammu and Kashmir.
The BJP leaders’ allegations were made at a political rally and were not accompanied by independent evidence in the statements provided.
The protests add to mounting political pressure on the Abdullah government, which has made restoration of statehood a major political demand while facing criticism from the opposition over governance and delivery of its election promises.
