Accusing BJP of making false and fake promise of statehood to Jammu, the senior leaders of J&K Pradesh Congress Committee have expressed strong resentment over the manner adopted to bifurcate the oldest State in the country enjoying special privileges under the Constitution of India and converting it into Union Territories, depriving it of a separate identity and powers, making Jammu more vulnerable to outside influence and tough competitions in all spheres, in the absence of constitutional safeguards. A meeting of senior leaders of Congress was held at the residence of PCC Chief G A Mir here in Jammu to take review of the current political and security situation in the State. The meeting viewed that the abolishing of special status enjoyed by the State under the Constitution of India and further dividing the State into UTs has destroyed the identity, status, powers and privileges available to the residents of the State. “This would cause great harm to peaceful Jammu region with influx of people from various parts to purchase lands, compete in employment, admissions in various professional and other courses, besides threatening our social and cultural identity, after the removal of constitutional safeguards, originally introduced by Maharaja Hari Singh,” they opined. They further said that the future generations would suffer a lot including the SC/ST/OBC youth who would face all India competition for admissions and jobs with more advanced parts of country. They questioned BJP for befooling people and exploiting regional sentiments of Jammu on the basis of regional discrimination and advocating a separate State but then disbanding of the State into a powerless structure of UT to Jammu alongwith Kashmir, which has deprived it of its original Dogra identity and privileges while maintaining its political dependence on Kashmir as before. They also questioned how State will get further integrated if the entire Valley and various parts of Jammu region are under seize and resenting against the decision of the Centre. “Instead of isolating the pro-Pak and separatists elements from the public support, this move may cause great harm to the overall national interests and making the job of our security forces more difficult,” they added and asked the Government to lift all restrictions on the pro-India mainstream leadership. Those who attended the meeting, included Madan Lal Sharma, Tara Chand, Mula Ram, Balwan Singh, Ashok Sharma, Ravinder Sharma, Manmohan Singh, Rajnish Sharma, Balbir Singh, Manjit Singh, Shah Mohd Choudhary and K K Pangotra.
