Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir Congress held a protest on Wednesday against a proposed toll plaza on the Jammu-Akhnoor-Poonch highway and accused the BJP-led Central government of looting people by imposing toll tax on vehicles at multiple locations in Jammu region.
The party claimed that even pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi and Amarnath cave shrines are not spared from the toll.
The demonstration, led by senior Congress leaders, took place in the Malpur area of Akhnoor, where protesters raised anti-BJP and anti-government slogans.
The protesters held a dharna for over one hour on the highway site, demanding an immediate rollback of the decision to install a toll plaza at Akhnoor, which they said is against the norms and the interests of common people.
Former MLA Thakur Balwan Singh said that the BJP government at the Centre is fleecing people of Jammu region by installing toll plazas at multiple locations, against the guidelines laid down by the high court and the Supreme Court in this regard, as the highway is under construction at several places.
“The BJP-led government is charging toll even on incomplete road projects, thus fleecing the people, including pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishno Devi and Shri Amarnath cave shrines,” he told reporters.
“The BJP, its MPs and 28 MLAs are maintaining criminal silence on the plight of the people of Jammu after taking a huge mandate based on false promises. The people must hold them accountable and answerable,” he said.
Asking people to rise against the “wrong” policies of the BJP government, he urged them to join Congress’s struggle for statehood to protect their identity, status, and the rights of future generations.
Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma also lashed out at the BJP government for looting people under the garb of toll taxes and other levies.
He opposed the installation of the toll plaza at the site, pointing out that three tunnels up to Sunderbani in Rajouri district remain incomplete and the road is in a dilapidated condition at several places.
