Centre has neglected residents of border areas, say NC leaders

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 31

Hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for leaving border residents at the mercy of God when shelling from across the border has made their lives difficult, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) asked why the Central Government was not fulfilling its commitments made before the elections.

Those who had been visiting borders for photo shoots were nowhere in sight and even the media was not playing its role, said Devender Singh Rana, NC provincial president.

Rana, who is also a MLA, was addressing a press conference along with MLA from Bishnah Kamal Arora on the issue of continuous shelling from across the international border on inhabited areas.

“Why the Union Government, led by the BJP, is not fulfilling its commitment of providing land to border residents at safer places and providing relief to those whose houses have been damaged in the border shelling,” Rana said, adding that before the elections BJP president Amit Shah and Union Home Minister had visited the area, but never returned after elections.

He asked the media to play a pro-active role. “If the media starts telecasting the agony and pain of these border residents, these leaders will board a chartered plane tomorrow and will reach there for a photo shoot,” the NC provincial president said.

He said all BJP leaders were busy with the government formation and their elected MLAs were lobbying for ministerial berths. “Where are these BJP people who used to be the guardians of people of Jammu? Why aren’t they visiting borders to be with people? These questions need to be answered. When we (NC government) were calling for maintaining peace on borders, these same people termed us anti-nationals. But it is a fact that when shelling happens on borders, our people suffer,” Rana said.

For the past few days the Arnia sector of the Bishnah Assembly constituency has been witnessing heavy shelling from across the international border and three civilians have sustained injuries.

Asking the Union Government to announce relief and rehabilitation measures for the border residents, MLA from Bishnah Kamal Arora said, “Before elections Prime Minister Narendra Modi used to talk of 56-inch chest to give reply to Pakistan for violating the ceasefire agreement, but this time no one is talking about it. Neither Modi talked about it, nor did his Home Minister.”