Activists of National Panthers Party on Thursday held demonstration to lodge protest against the “house arrest” of its Chairman Harsh Dev Singh, who had raised voice against the recently passed re-organization bill and declaration of J&K as a UT by appending it to Kashmir.
Agitating protestors sought review of the decision of the Union government and grant of statehood to Jammu region. They raised slogans against BJP Govt for subverting the democratic rights of opposition and denying the constitutional guarantees assured to them under the constitution. Meanwhile, Singh in a statement issued has said that the BJP led govt at the Centre had caused the greatest embitterment in the hearts and minds of the people of Dogra land by denigrating their status of statehood to a Union Territory.
He said that it was the only Dogra state in the country which was conceptualized and created by dogra rulers and extended with countless sacrifices made by Dogra warriors. The demotion of the state to the level of Union Territory was not only unprecedented but amounted to a great insult hurled upon the patriotic dogras of Jammu region, he said. Seeking a separate state for Jammu region, Singh cautioned the union govt to stop taking the people of the region for granted. He regretted that not a word was uttered by the mandated leaders of Jammu in the Parliament to safeguard or protect the interests of Jammu region and no objection whatsoever was raised when Jammu was again proposed to be appended to Kashmir and announced as a UT through the Re-organization Bill.
While in his preventive detention, Singh has urged upon the people of Jammu to unite to realize their aspirations and to prepare themselves for a bigger struggle ahead. “While Kashmir continues to have a loins share in development projects, employment and allied sectors, the dogras were made to come on the roads even for getting their genuine demands fulfilled. Be it the issue of AIIMS,” he added and said that be it the demand of smart city or central university or declaration of holiday on Maharaja Hari Singh’s birthday.
“The position remains the same as on date as well with Kashmir region still enjoying majority in the newly created UT with 46 members as against 37 of Jammu region, its political dominance shall remain unaffected,” he added and said that the GOI’s hints to carve out 7 additional Assembly too won’t affect the existing set up as Kashmir region would still continue to be in a position to form govt on its own.
