Reiterating the demand of statehood for Jammu region, a strong battalion of Panther activists spearheaded by Mr. Harsh Dev Singh Chairman JKNPP held a massive demonstration at Exhibition Ground in Jammu today. While raising the slogans against BJP led government for declaring Jammu region as a UT by appending it to Kashmir, the agitated protesters sought review of the said decision of the union govt and restoration of statehood for J&K. They raised slogans of “Lt. Governor Go Back, Go Back” ; “Dogra state Ka Darja Bahal Karo, Bahal karo”; “BJP Hai Hai”.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh said the BJP led govt at the centre had caused the greatest embitterment in the hearts and minds of the people by downgrading their status of statehood to a Union Territory. He said that it was the only Dogra state in the country which was conceptualized by our erstwhile rulers with countless supreme sacrifices made by the Dogra warriors for its creation. “The demotion of the state to the level of Union Territory was not only unprecedented but amounted to a great insult hurled upon the patriotic people of Jammu region. BJP had contemptuously mocked the historic decision of Maharaja Hari Singh who acceded the state of J&K to the Union of India by executing the instrument of Accession on 26^th October, 1947. The people feel humiliated, disparaged and offended”, Harsh lamented. He said that if the situation in Kashmir was troublesome, that could not be the reason for punishing the nationalist people of Jammu. “You could declare Kashmir as UT and Jammu as a full-fledged state”, said Singh. He regretted that a state which was earlier ruled by Maharaja had now been put under a Lt. Governor holding a position of a Secretary in the GoI. He termed the govt. decision as an insult to the historic decision of Maharaja Hari Singh acceding the State of J&K to Indian Union.

Seeking a separate state for Jammu region, Mr. Singh cautioned the Union govt to stop taking the people of the region for granted. He regretted that not a word was uttered by the mandated leaders of Jammu in the Parliament to safeguard or protect the interests of Jammu region and no objection whatsoever was raised when Jammu was again proposed to be appended to Kashmir and announced as a UT through the Re-organization Bill. “While the GoI once again pursued the policy of appeasement in doling tall promises to Kashmir valley in the name of socio-economic reforms, abundant employment opportunities, premier educational institutions, hospitals and tertiary healthcare institutes, etc., the people of Jammu were put under the burden of several taxes to compensate for the development of the valley post abrogation of Art 370”, rued Harsh. Concerned over the future of the Dogras once J&K is converted into UT, Mr. Singh said that apprehensions were rife that Kashmir would continue to have a lion’s share in every sphere and the people of Jammu would have to come on the roads even for getting their genuine demands fulfilled. They would only be considered subject to the concurrence and clearance given by the Kashmir leadership. And if New Delhi felt that it could displease the Kashmiris, it would simply shy away to honour the aspirations of the Dogras, Harsh said.

Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion included Rajesh Padgotra, Gagan Pratap Singh, Shankar Singh Chib, Capt. Anil Gour, Rampaul Sharma, Surinder Chauhan, Khajoor Singh, Chatterpal Singh, Nirmal Kishore, Subhash Singh, Yashpaul Sharma, Mohinder Singh, Udeyveer besides others.