Earlier govts created strife, BJP ensured development, harmony, says Minister

Our Correspondent

Srinagar, March 9

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Saturday said there has been significant shift in development focus in Chenab Valley under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

“Earlier governments neglected the entire region of erstwhile Doda district and created social strife by playing politics of division, whereas under Prime Minister Narendra Modi we ensured equitable development and communal harmony,” Dr Jitendra Singh said while addressing a public rally after inaugurating the Agri StartUp Exhibition here today.

This was the minister’s first visit to Doda after he was given a ticket for the third time to fight the Lok Sabha elections from the constituency. He had won the last general elections by a margin of over 3.5 lakh votes.

“Analysts will find it difficult to answer as to why Doda remained backward despite the fact that after independence, there was not a single occasion when Doda did not have its representative both in the Union Cabinet as well as in the state cabinet, he said.

“Today, Doda has emerged on the world map because Bhaderwah has given the world lavender and purple revolution, which were exhibited at the Republic Day parade in New Delhi and PM Narendra Modi spoke in detail about it in ‘Mann Ki Baat’,” said the Minister.

Under Modi, the minister said he has also sought to follow a different political culture of reaching out equally to all sections of people regardless of religion or caste.

“The people of Doda belt are traditionally peace loving and patriotic, and they had refused to migrate even during the peak of militancy,” he said.

“A large number of projects brought to the Doda region in the last 10 years have not only brought about transformation but were also meant to change the mindset. Various welfare schemes launched not only meant social and economic transformation but also aroused several semi-conscious aspirations, particularly in youth, which had got buried due to dismay and pessimism of the past,” he added.

“New National Highway 244 from Khillani to Sudhmahadev touching Goha Kalota, approval of Chattergala tunnel and Kaljugar tunnel, series of hydropower projects and airport under Udaan in Kishtwar, Centrally-funded medical college in Doda, high altitude medicine plant in Bhaderwah, etc., all happened in the last 10 years,” he added.

“A web of highways has been spun in the district, with the largest number of roads constructed under PMGSY here”, the minister said.

“All the works have been carried out with an urge to serve the general public from the core of the heart and to provide the benefits rising above the politics of caste, creed and religion. Prime Minister Modi has sought to create a new work culture in politics which our successors will be bound to follow,” he said.

The Minister stated that this constituency holds distinction as being the lone Lok Sabha constituency where there are three medical colleges, namely in Doda, Kathua and Udhampur.

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