Jammu: A day after the BJP held a protest over the alleged failure of the National Conference government in Jammu and Kashmir to fulfill its promises, a ruling party leader on Tuesday claimed that the saffron party was losing ground in its Jammu bastion and was trying to disturb peace for “narrow political” gains.
NC provincial president Rattan Lal Gupta appealed to all political parties to maintain peace and communal harmony in Jammu and not indulge in politics that could disturb the peaceful environment of the region.
“The local BJP leadership appears to be attempting to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in Jammu for narrow political gains by misleading the people through unwarranted protests against a popular government that is working for their welfare.
“Hundreds of development projects in Jal Shakti, power, roads and buildings for hospitals, colleges and schools have been initiated by the Omar Abdullah-led government. Even last week, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah laid the foundation stone for a Jal Shakti project worth over Rs 120 crore in Udhampur,” Gupta said in a statement here.
He said the people of Jammu have traditionally valued peace, communal harmony and brotherhood, and any attempt to create unnecessary tension or division for political purposes must be strongly opposed.
Referring to the major overhaul of the BJP’s national team announced by the newly elected BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Monday, Gupta said the BJP’s central leadership has once again exposed its lack of “confidence” in the Jammu and Kashmir leadership by not giving any “significant responsibility” to J&K leaders in its new national team.
“This clearly indicates that the central leadership does not consider the local BJP leaders competent enough to occupy important positions in the national organisation,” he said.
He claimed that the BJP is losing ground in Jammu because of its “anti-people” policies and failure to address the genuine concerns of the people.
“Instead of concentrating on unemployment, development, rising prices, infrastructure, tourism and other pressing issues, the BJP is trying to divert public attention through political rhetoric and confrontation,” Gupta said, questioning the role of the BJP during the period from 2014 to 2024, and said “its conduct and policies towards Jammu and Kashmir raised serious questions about its commitment to the interests of the people”.
He said the people are now carefully assessing the promises made by the BJP against its actual performance.
“The people of Jammu want development, employment, dignity, peace and democratic rights, not political confrontation. The BJP should introspect instead of blaming others for its declining support among the people,” he said.
NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq also came down heavily on the BJP over its protest against the Abdullah-led government, saying the BJP must first answer the people of J&K on the continued denial of statehood and the failure to fulfill its own commitments.
Sadiq said the BJP had every democratic right to hold demonstrations, but questioned the purpose of what he described as “drama and theatrics” when the people were still waiting for the restoration of their constitutional rights.
Aiming at the BJP over the pending reservation-related issue, Sadiq questioned why files and decisions concerning J&K continued to remain unresolved.
On allegations of backdoor appointments, Sadiq said the matter should be subjected to a thorough and impartial investigation rather than being turned into a political spectacle.
“If there has been any wrongdoing, let there be a proper investigation and let the truth come out. The BJP has no reason to turn every issue into political theatre when it has the means and influence to seek an investigation through the appropriate agencies,” he said.
The NC chief spokesperson said the BJP is deliberately creating distractions to divert public attention from issues that directly affect the people of J&K.
“If the National Conference had made illegal or backdoor appointments, why would anyone oppose an investigation? Let the facts come out. The people deserve the truth, not manufactured controversies and political theatrics,” he said.
He asserted that the NC would continue to raise these issues both inside the Assembly and outside it.
“The National Conference will continue to fight for the rights and dignity of Jammu and Kashmir. We will not allow diversionary politics to drown out the people’s demand for statehood and their constitutional rights,” Sadiq said.
