INDIA VOTES 2024: Keen on giving district status to Basohli-Billawar: Jitendra

Jammu, March 29

Union minister and BJP candidate from the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency Jitendra Singh on Friday claimed the Basohli area in Kathua district was deliberately neglected by Congress MLAs and MPs in the past.

Addressing a series of roadside meetings and public rallies from Kathua to Basohli, Jitendra Singh said, “Congress MLAs and MPs elected by the people of Basohli had occupied ministerial berths for years together, but instead of caring for the people, they followed Kashmir-centric appeasement policy of their masters. Hence, they became a party to regional discrimination against the very constituency which had elected them.”

Locals facing problems

Inhabitants of the region are facing logistical and practical problems in reaching various administrative offices which are located in Kathua. —Jitendra Singh, BJP

Jitendra Singh said, “The BJP is in favour of a separate hill district comprising Basohli and Billawar regions. We had taken up this cause even when we were in Opposition. The evidence of this is that in the BJP organisational structure, Basohli-Billawar enjoys the status of a separate hill district. We have a separate district party presidents for Kathua and Basohli.” Basohli and Billawar are located in Kathua district.

Considering the vast area of Kathua district, Jitendra Singh said, “There are logistical and practical problems faced by inhabitants of this region to reach various administrative offices located or based in Kathua.”

He said, “Whenever the next district reorganisation committee is constituted by the NDA government, this long-standing demand of the people for a separate district will also be addressed.”

He said instead of being benefited by the MLAs or MPs who became ministers in various Congress governments, “The people of Basohli had to pay the price as their plight worsened due to such opportunistic representatives.”

“In the past 10 years under the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Basohli painting and Basohli pashmina have received the GI tags and earned worldwide recognition. Why could this not happen in over six decades of Congress rule,” he asked.

The BJP leader said Basohli deserved the status of being designated as a ‘heritage town’ for which an initiative had already been taken.

The Union minister said, “There is a proper procedure laid out for being conferred the status of ‘heritage town’ and the recognition of status has to come from accredited agencies which will also happen under the BJP-led central government.”