NAGRI, Kathua: Senior leaders of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee on Saturday accused the Centre of pursuing anti-farmer and anti-poor policies, alleging that denial of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir was a betrayal of the people and that the region’s resources were being “looted” after 2019.
Addressing a Kissan Sammelan at Nagri in Kathua, JKPCC president Tariq Hameed Karra said the Modi government’s policies were pro-rich and pro-corporate and had adversely affected farmers, labourers and common people.
Karra alleged that rising prices and recent economic decisions had hurt ordinary citizens and urged people, especially farmers and youth, to oppose what he termed “anti-farmer and anti-people policies” of the BJP-led government. He also called for safeguarding the land, jobs and natural resources of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in Kathua, Samba and Jammu districts.
Demanding restoration of statehood, Karra said the Centre’s failure to return statehood to Jammu and Kashmir amounted to a betrayal of the people.
Speaking on the occasion, working president of the JKPCC Raman Bhalla accused the Centre of reneging on repeated promises to restore statehood.
Bhalla said the absence of statehood and the “dual control system” had led to hardships for various sections of society, including unemployed youth, daily wagers, flood-affected families and farmers. He maintained that the current administrative arrangement lacked accountability.
Former MP Chaudhary Lal Singh alleged that after the abrogation of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir’s land, jobs and natural resources were being taken over by outsiders at the expense of local residents.
He further claimed that the people of Kathua, Samba and Jammu had been the worst affected and alleged an increase in crime and drug abuse in the region.
Among those present at the event were former legislators Balbir Singh and Subash Gupta, DCC president Kathua Pankaj Dogra, chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma and several other Congress leaders.
