Continuing his vigorous campaign to reach out needy people of Gandhi Nagar constituency amidst Covid-19 pandemic with ration items along with vegetables since lockdown, former Minister and senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla visited Nai Basti area of Gandhi Nagar Constituency where a good number of urban poor reside. Inhabitants of the area put their grievances before him particularly hefty power tariff bills expressing inability to pay such bills and that too when there was unscheduled power cuts in the area. While interacting with shopkeepers and people belonging to different professions and occupations, he was told that virtually all sections of society have been badly hit due to lockdown including drummers whose livelihood was at stake due to no source of income and no relief from Govt to weaker and vulnerable sections of society till date. Bhalla said Congress was fully capable to defeat forces which were hell bent upon to divide the people on religious and regional lines to serve their vested interests, but at the same time, he said people of JK UT have realized the political gimmicks of various groups and parties which were trying to make inroads in JK to create confusion among the gullible people. Urging the Government to review its decision and take into consideration the demands of the employees including daily wagers, casual and need based workers, he described the privatization as anti-people especially the poor and common people who would suffer the most and face the exploitation in the hands of private players, unless proper check and balance mechanism is put in place. Extending support to employees, Bhalla asked the Government to put in public domain the entire roadmaps including fate of daily wagers, need-based and casual workers apart from the measures to protect the interests of consumers who were real stake holders. Meanwhile, Bhalla lashed out at the Centre and J&K Government over being indifferent and insensitive to the woes of the people badly hit by Covid-19 pandemic. He said the public grievances were mounting every passing day, while Government’s relief package was still in the air, adding that both Central Govt and LG’s Administration have failed to come upto the expectations of the people. Bhalla appealed Jammu Kashmir Government to provide free ration and financial packages to the PHH (BPL) and daily wagers of Jammu Kashmir in view of lockdown.
