Shah’s anti-PDP tirade draws flak, even from BJP’s own

Vikram Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 24

All political parties, including the BJP, have termed saffron party president Amit Shah’s allegations against the PDP’s discriminating policies with Jammu and Ladakh as half-truths.

Most leaders were of the view that Shah’s speech made in Jammu on Saturday lacked conviction as he desperately tried to safeguard the BJP.

“Whatever Amit Shah said in Jammu indicated two things: one, he was totally defensive; and two, he virtually exposed his own ministers. While they were in government, the BJP ministers did not assert their position and authority just to keep the Chief Minister in good humour – a fact that Mehbooba Mufti herself today disclosed while rebutting all charges levelled by Amit Shah,” said Hari Om, a former BJP vice-president.

It would be no exaggeration to say that Amit Shah came to Jammu all the way from New Delhi to tender an unconditional apology in a sophisticated manner, he said.

Senior Congress leader and former minister Sham Lal also termed Amit Shah’s address a string of “escapist statements”. “How can Amit Shah forget that his own party was part of the coalition that ran the government for three years? The BJP itself is to be blamed for ignoring Jammu as it had left its core ideology to be the B team in the government,” said Sham Lal.

Commenting on Shah’s remorse over non-completion of smart city and AIIMS projects in Jammu, Sham Lal pointedly remarked that both departments of housing and urban development as well as health were held by Jammu ministers.

Bharatiya Janata Party senior leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta refused to comment on Shah’s speech but admitted that some departments held by the BJP were directly linked with the Rs 80,000-crore Central package and they could have ensured its execution.

“We could not execute our part due to the interference of the coalition partner,” he lamely replied.

The National Conference too dismissed Amit Shah’s public claim about the BJP pulling out due to pressure groups not allowing the smooth functioning of the government.

“It was a collective responsibility of both parties to address their particular constituencies on development and public issues. The NC-Congress governments in the past worked in tandem despite many pressures, but never succumbed. Neither did they hold each other responsible for anything,” said Nasir Aslam, NC provincial president.

Shah’s speech left many BJP supporters unimpressed too. “Amit Shah’s public speech lacked conviction. By now, the BJP should know Jammu cannot fall prey to machinations of any kind,” said Kuldeep Raj, a BJP supporter from Jammu East constituency.

By blaming others, he can’t befool people: Sham Lal

Jammu: Senior Congress leader Sham Lal Sharma on Sunday expressed surprise over BJP national president Amit Shah accepting the failure of his government to deliver for Jammu.  Addressing a public meeting at Akhnoor, Sharma said perhaps Shah must not be aware that his party was in coalition with the PDP, whom he criticised in the public. “Shah accepted that the work on AIIMS hasn’t yet taken off. I would like to inform him that the health ministry was being headed by BJP ministers and the responsibility lies with them. Similarly, blame of non-utilisation of funds for Smart City lies with the BJP because the former Deputy CM was heading the Urban Development Department,” he said. “By blaming others, Shah can’t befool the people of Jammu as the entire blame of misgovernance lies with the BJP. Either the BJP national president is having no knowledge about the state BJP role in the administration or he intentionally did it to gain sympathy from the people of Jammu,” the Congress leader said. TNS

BJP MLAs should resign for failing to deliver: NC

Jammu: The NC on Sunday said all 25 BJP MLAs should resign voluntarily since their national president Amit Shah accepted the failure of his government in delivering for what they were voted to by the people of Jammu. “By Shah’s admission that his party has failed to deliver on the expectations of J&K in general and Jammu in particular, all these 25 MLAs should resign,” Devender Singh Rana, provincial president of the NC, said. Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, Rana said: “The BJP MLAs should voluntarily resign and ensure the dissolution of the House so that re-elections can happen”. Rana said the BJP president talked of AIIMS not being allowed to take off, three medical colleges still stuck in construction stage, Smart City for Jammu not seeing the light of the day and hindrance in the Tawi lake project. TNS