Jammu: Enraged over non initiation of action against ‘delinquent’ police officers of Udhampur for assault on female party workers and victimization of party workers at the behest of vested political interests, the Panthers workers led by Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman JKNPP held a massive demonstration followed by a huge rally starting from Press Club and culminating at Divisional Commissioner office Jammu.
Numbering more than 2000, the protesting JKNPP workers blocked the Tawi Bridge resulting in suspension of vehicular traffic for about one hour. The agitated protestors raised slogans against SSP and DC Udhampur accusing them of ‘victimizing’ the NPP workers at the behest of BJP.
Speaking on the occasion, Harsh Dev Singh said that an emergency like situation prevailed in District Udhampur where all constitutional guarantees were in a state a limbo. He said that while the BJP was resorting to politics of suppression and oppression against the opponents, the NPP leaders in particular were being assaulted, abused, intimidated and harassed.
He said that NPP leaders were being targeted under a well hatched plan as they only were exposing the omissions, commissions and frauds of BJP leaders besides their betrayal of Jammu’s cause. He expressed dismay that FIRs were being regularly lodged against NPP activists for raising general developmental issues, for seeking regular power supply, for restoration of damaged transformers and even for seeking adequate staff in schools and Health centres.
Singh said that NPP was in possession of video-graphed speeches of BJP leaders threatening to kill him besides provoking people also to physically liquidate him. He said that numerous complaints of such threats duly video-graphed with filthy abuses hurled upon Panthers leaders were disregarded with Udhampur Police refusing to entertain complaints against BJP. He said that when complaints were filed against the highly biased and partisan conduct of the said SSP with higher authorities, he became more avengeful against NPP leaders. And when NPP workers raised their voice against increased cases of bovine smuggling and drugs trafficking in District Udhampur, the said SSP became more aggressive with open threats hurled by him upon NPP leadership particularly its Chairman. He said that SSP and DC Udhampur having been posted in a significant District by the erstwhile BJP-PDP govt were still working under their shadow and appeasing them as a measure of quid pro quo and return gift.
Singh pointed out that in Dainik Jagran edition of 26th July, the DC Udhampur further made a statement that he has written to higher authorities to evict Harsh Dev Singh from Govt Quarter at Gandhi Nagar Jammu and also to withdraw his security. Is the said DC not exceeding his brief and jurisdiction and is he not crossing the rubicon?, questioned Singh. “Can he make a recommendation with regard to the subject which does not fall in his domain or his duties as a civil servant? And could he seek the withdrawal of the security cover of a protected person who is a Ex-Minister and head of a recognized political party whose security categorization has been done by the Apex State Committee on security” Questioned the Panthers leader.
Seeking a high level enquiry into the acts of omissions and commissions of SSP and DC Udhampur, Singh further called for a CBI probe into victimization of NPP leaders and workers by the said officers working under the tutelage of BJP.