BJP demeaned, insulted 2014 Jammu mandate: NC

JAMMU: National Conference on Thursday accused the BJP of demeaning and insulting massive 2014 Jammu mandate by superimposing its lust for power over pride and aspirations of the self-respecting people of the region, a statement issue here said.
“The 2014 Jammu mandate wasn’t so weak to have not been negotiated and bargained for rotational chief ministership while entering into North Pole South Pole alliance with the PDP twice between 2015 and 2016”, National Conference Provincial Spokesperson Mr Madan Mantoo said in a statement issued from Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here, adding that anti-climax of the BJP’s brazen political opportunism shocked politically matured people of Jammu when it hobnobbed with a two-member party of north Kashmir and enthusiastically agreed to play second fiddle to it.
The spokesperson said the memory of the Jammu people is not so short to forget how the 25-member strong BJP contingent extended support to Peoples’ Conference chairperson Mr Sajjad Gani Lone as Chief Minister ahead of the dissolution of Legislative Assembly. How can a party that could not assert its massive strength to stake claim for chief ministership keep showing day dreams to the people of Jammu for having the one this time around, he asked.
Reacting to a statement of the BJP spokesperson in reaction to the press conference of Mr Devender Singh Rana Provincial President National Conference, Mr Mantoo said that instead of responding to key issues he, as usual, indulged in rhetoric by repeating the beaten track and monologue. He said Jammu is not ignorant about the developmental initiatives taken during NC dispensations in the region, which require volumes to spell out. He observed the BJP cheerleaders, who happened to be part of National Conference at some point of time, must be knowing well all this but tend to behave like ignorant. Ignorance about facts is no excuse, he said and urged such leaders to see through the past after removing their myopic lenses. “Everything will appear crystal clear to them once they do so”, he added.
As regards the issues pertaining to citizenship rights to West Pakistan Refugees, declaration of holiday on the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singhji or cancellation of holiday on account of Martyrs Day, Mr Mantoo asked the BJP as to what it did in this regard during over three years while being part of the government in Jammu and Kashmir. As far as respite to displaced refugees is concerned, the people know how the BJP sabotaged the National Conference government’s recommendations on one time settlement compensation of Rs 25 lakhs by downgrading it to meagre Rs 5 lakhs, he added.
Madan Mantoo said that it doesn’t augur well for the BJP to speak about performance of others, as its National President Mr Amit Shah had to cut a sorry figure and apologize to the people of Jammu immediately after fall of the government for the failures and non-performance of the his ministers in Jammu and Kashmir coalition dispensation. The observations of Mr Amit Shah in his public speech in the periphery of Jammu Parade Ground was serious reflection on the intent and performance of the Jammu BJP ministers. “They caused huge embarrassment to their national leadership and have now cheeks to sit on judgment about the performance of others”, the spokesperson said, adding that the BJP former ministerial stock in the coalition government may be satisfied over their ‘individual achievements’ during three years’ nightmarish rule but Jammu has suffered immensely, be it development or jobs to educated unemployed, implementation of welfare schemes for poor to upkeep of utility services and so on.
The spokesperson advised the Jammu BJP leadership to have some sort of introspection and ‘Manthan’ and apologise to the sagacious and self-respecting people of Jammu for ditching them. “They cannot hide themselves under the umbrella of national leadership, as their role as local public representatives for addressing local issues has been quite dismal”, he added.
The spokesperson assured the BJP leadership that National Conference will improve and repeat its 1996 tally in the ensuing elections. “If they have any doubt, let they too seek early assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and see for themselves how these pan out for the people of the state”, he added.
The National Conference again asked the BJP to list ten achievements taken by its government in the state during over three years for the growth of Jammu region.