Lal Singh to float apolitical pro-Dogra outfit tomorrow

Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 20

Choudhary Lal Singh, former minister and BJP leader, is all set to float a pro-Jammu apolitical outfit on Sunday to intensify his fight to “restore the dignity and honour” of the Dogra community of the state.

Since April 13, when he was forced by the party high command to resign from the council of ministers for supporting the demand for a CBI probe into the Kathua rape-murder case, Lal Singh has been addressing rallies across the Jammu region, raking up Dogra sentiments to emerge as a pro-Jammu leader before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. During his ongoing three-month-long campaign, Lal Singh has virtually hijacked BJP’s pro-Jammu agenda.

“On Sunday, Lal Singh is going to wind up the first phase of his campaign by announcing the formation of the Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan, an apolitical organisation,” sources said, maintaining, “Lal Singh’s aim is to set up an organisational structure of his non-political organisation by roping in some hardcore BJP workers and supporters before giving it a political shape.”

Sources said through a non-political outfit, Lal Singh and his supporters would mount pressure on the BJP to accept their demands, which would be submitted to the party on August 15.

Although Lal Singh, a former Congressman who joined the BJP before the 2014 Assembly polls, is avoiding confrontation with the BJP, he is trying to seize all opportunities to expose the “dubious role” played by saffron party leaders while sharing power with the PDP.

Keeping in view the prevailing anger among people of Jammu against the alleged discriminatory policies of the successive state governments, Lal Singh is desperately trying to create fear among the ethnic Dogra minority that the community is facing identity crises.