The executive committee members of Dogra Sadar Sabha J&K and other prominent citizens of Jammu met here on 23.08.2023 in Sabha Bhawan to convey their deep sense of dismay and anguish over the unfortunate turn of events yesterday over the avoidable use of police force on the protesting Yuva Rajput Sabha Members and other youths against Toll Plaza at Sarore in Samba District on the National Highway 44A.
It is a known fact that there is a simmering discontent amongst the patriotic people of Jammu region against the arbitrary decisions of the UT government leading to establishment and operationalisation of Toll Plazas at short distances, not guiding the consumers properly while installing Smart Meters, non-absorption of local youth by private companies, growing unemployment amongst youth, un-thoughtful execution of works on national highways and tunnels leading to unabated landslides and damage to life, property and environment, callous attitude towards restoration and repair of Dogra heritage, non-settlement of issues of daily wagers in PDD and PHE, etc.
All these actions of the government are indicative of a deep and serious disconnect between the present government and the peace loving and patriotic citizens of this UT.
While chairing the meeting Sh. Gulchain Singh Charak Former Minister and President Dogra Sadar Sabha said that Sabha has always been highlighting this weak link through all possible means at various forums, including with the Hon’ble Lt Governor and the Chief Secretary of the J&K UT, for the last so many years, but no body is visibly paying any heed to our sincere warnings.
May it be apprised that the Dogra Sadar Sabha is a 119 year old social organisation representing all faiths and communities of Jammu region, particularly the Dogras.
We have always raised the voice of region and nationalism from the core of our heart and head, in the national interest. We have been the first to welcome the putting an end to the extravagant practice of annual Durbar move, etc and assurance of restoration and preservation of Dogra heritage, but the way the current J&K UT dispensation is handling these genuine issues and sentiments of the people of Jammu region, is agonising and all the gains of transformation may be lost if not properly handled.
Pained over the unwanted police action yesterday on the peacefully protesting members of Yuva Rajput Sabha and others, Dogra Sadar Sabha approaches the Government of India also through Hon’ble Lt. Governor to advise the UT government to:
1. Immediately release all the youth and other people taken into custody since yesterday and remove the Toll Plazas immediately
2. Pending restoration of democratic government in the UT, Constitute broad based advisory committees at the UT and District levels immediately to hold regular (say fortnightly and monthly interaction sessions) for immediate redressal of genuine public grievances.
The meeting ended with the hope that the flames of discontent against the UT government, rising from the disenchanted public of Jammu are quickly put off by adopting a pro-people approach immediately, before these start flaring up against the union government.
Prominent among other those were present included Col Karan Singh, Amanat Ali Shah, Advocate H.C Jalmaria, Gambhir Dev Singh, Jalil Shah, Sr. Balbinder Singh, Jagdeep Singh, Chhankar Singh, Narinder Jamwal, Ashok Charak, Parshotam Singh Charak, Ravi Slathia, Sandeep Jain, Sham Choudhary, Raghav Arora, Pawan Sharma, Adish Raina, Anish Puri, Aman Sharma, Upmaniyu Sharma and others.
