Apni Party intensifies campaign for LA polls in Samba

• S. Manjit Singh seeks votes for equitable development, good governance, employment

SAMBA: Apni Party Provincial President, Jammu, and Former Minister, S. Manjit Singh has intensified the election campaign in the constituencies in Samba District by holding series of public meetings to educate people about the policy and programs that would be implemented for equitable development, and employment in Jammu and Kashmir if the Party forms next Govt in the erstwhile state.

As per a press release, a meeting was organized here at Vijaypur in Samba District in which dozens of people participated and expressed their faith in the Apni Party’s leadership and they extended their support to the party candidate.

Addressing the public meeting here, the Former Minister expressed gratitude to the people, who have extended their support to the Apni Party’s policy of equitable development, eradication of unemployment, and protection to the rights of the people. He said that the scheduled assembly elections would shape a new political scenario in Jammu and Kashmir in which the restoration of statehood has become a central point of agenda for the people of both the regions.

“The Jammu and Kashmir is a historic state, and its statehood should be restored before it is too late. The downgrading of the state into a Union Territory has not been accepted by the people in Jammu as well as Kashmir,” he said, citing the glorious history of the erstwhile state. He said that there is a strong resentment against the BJP among the people, who consider that the Dogra Maharaja’s state has been bifurcated and downgraded.

“The snatching the powers of an elected Govt before the polls of legislative assembly is also seen with the suspension. Hence, the people avoid trusting the traditional parties like BJP, Congress Party or any other. In this situation, the policy and programs of the Apni Party have gathered massive support on the ground from the people of different segments of the society,” he added.

He said that “The powers of an elected Govt must be restored, and it is undemocratic to grant more powers to the Lt Governor of J&K than a Govt that is going to rule the state chosen by the people.”

Meanwhile, he pointed out the difficulties being faced by the people in Jammu and Kashmir in last several decades because of terrorism and border clashes which has affected lives of the people along the International Border and Line of Control.

He advocated that the promise of providing five marla of land to the people from border areas shall be fulfilled as it would enable the border inhabitants to shift their families to safer places during the ceasefire violations. He also pitched for the special and on the spot recruitment drive in the border areas for the unemployed youth in army, paramilitary and J&K Police.

“The unemployment has grown manifold and it has affected the society adversely with increase in crime related incidents, and it has also put pressure on the police to deal with the drug peddling / drug addiction,” he said, while asking the people to vote and support the Apni Party candidate so that the issues of the common masses can be resolved.

He said that the developmental works have slowed down for the last several years with no accountability and the officials are not consulting any representative regarding the development of the respective areas in Samba or any other districts in Jammu plains.

“The plans even at the level of panchayats and wards are made within the four walls and the officials hardly take suggestions from the local representatives. Therefore, the lanes, drains, garbage collection, cleanliness, shabby condition of lanes, and roads remain unaddressed,” he added.

Meanwhile, he also elaborated about the welfare schemes of the Apni Party of providing 500 units of free electricity in Jammu during summer season, and 300 units of free electricity during winter season.

He also said that the widow / old age / handicapped pension shall be enhanced up to Rs 5000, four cooking gas cylinders shall be provided to each economically poor family under Ujjawala Scheme per year, Rs 1 lakhs would be released in favour of the poor families as an assistance for the marriage of their daughters, and similar other schemes have been launched by the Apni Party.

These schemes, he said, would be implemented when the Party would form the Govt in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that the Apni Party is committed to end discrimination between the regions and provide equal opportunity to all with the protection of resources in favour of the locals.