JAMMU: National Conference today staged protests and courted arrests over the establishment and operationalisation of Toll Plaza at Lakhanpur describing it as anti-people, arbitrary and discriminatory.
Carrying party flags and placards in support of their demand for rollback of the decision, NC workers, joined by Youth National Conference volunteers assembled on the highway, maintaining mandatory protocols like social distancing and wearing masks, and raised slogans against BJP, saying the party has been presiding over anti-Jammu machinations for the past over six years, a party spokesman said.
“And, the height of all these measures is that the BJP is trumpeting from roof-tops the slogan of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”, the party leaders told the media-persons covering the protests, adding that there might be Vikas of some but the people at large have been feeling a sense of deprivation.
They blamed the BJP for betraying Jammu, adding that one after another toll plazas are being set up notwithstanding this part of the country being destination for millions of pilgrims, who have been thronging to pay obeisance at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine over the years. The highway remains agog with pilgrim activities and the influx of the Valley and Ladakh bound tourists.
The leaders expressed surprise over mute silence of the administration that has failed in prevailing upon the National Highway Authority of India against such moves, more so in the backdrop of the highway construction yet to be completed fully. Instead of completing the highway project and ensuring smooth plying of traffic, the NHAI is burdening the people by levying taxes, they rued.
The National Conference and YNC workers courted arrests to press their demand for winding up of the Toll Plaza together with the one at Saroore and desist from such moves in future.
