Nagrota Surian erupts over BDO office shift: Protests, hunger strike on cards

Angered by a government notification issued on Tuesday to relocate the office of the Block Development Officer (BDO) from Nagrota Surian to Jawali, residents of Nagrota Surian town and nearby gram panchayats convened an emergency meeting on Wednesday. They announced the launch of an agitation starting Thursday to demand an immediate reversal of the decision.

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The state government had proposed the relocation six months ago, prompting locals to form the Save Development Block Sangharsh Samiti under the leadership of Sanjay Mahajan. Prior to the meeting, residents raised slogans against the state government and Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar, who is also the local MLA.

The Samiti resolved to organise a protest march in Nagrota Surian on Thursday morning, followed by the submission of a memorandum to the Governor through the local tehsildar. It also announced an indefinite chain hunger strike, with five residents taking turns to sit on a dharna within the BDO premises. The Samiti warned that they would lock the office if the state government failed to withdraw the notification, which they termed as “anti-Nagrota Surian.”

The meeting saw participation from local BJP leader Sanjay Guleria, who had contested the last Assembly election from the Jawali constituency. Also present were Dheeraj Atri, Vice-Chairman of the Nagrota Surian Panchayat Samiti; GS Bedi, Pradhan of Katholi Gram Panchayat; Sukhpal, Up-Pradhan of Nagrota Surian Panchayat; Rimpal, Pradhan of Khabbal Panchayat and hundreds of local villagers.

The elected panchayat representatives alleged that the Agriculture Minister and the state government were working in tandem to execute a political conspiracy against Nagrota Surian. They pointed out that the government had earlier transferred 10 gram panchayats of Nagrota Surian development block to the Dehra block — represented by Kamlesh Kumari Thakur, wife of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. Now, they alleged, the latest notification to shift the BDO office to Jawali is another attempt to sideline the region. They further claimed that 15 gram panchayats of the Nagrota Surian area were being discriminated against at the behest of the local MLA.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Sanjay Guleria said a separate development block had already been sanctioned for Jawali, the sub-divisional headquarters, during the previous BJP government, and necessary posts had been created. However, he alleged that the current Congress government de-notified that block after assuming power two and a half years ago.

“The Nagrota Surian development block, established 55 years ago, is a symbol of regional identity and governance. Shifting it now is unjustified and unacceptable,” Guleria asserted.