Stressing the need for restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, the former Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand said that the central government should also address various issues confronting the people in this border region of the country.
“People in this part of the country are feeling dismayed ever since its status was reduced from a full-fledged state to a union territory and they have been expressing this feeling through many democratic ways”, Tara Chand , who is also a senior leader of Democratic Azad party (DAP), said while addressing a public meeting at Bomal in Akhnoor Constituency last evening.
The leaders in the present central government need to ponder on this issue afresh and restore the status of J&K as a state, which will go a long way in bringing peace , tranquility and progress in this region, he said, adding “it would be in fitness of things if J&K’s statehood is restored before holding of Assembly elections”.
Tara Chand, a former Speaker of J&K legislative Assembly, also referred to several other problems being faced by different sections of people in Jammu and Kashmir and sought the attention of both the UT and central government to address them on an urgent basis.
Unemployment and price rise is at its peak in J&K and people feel dejected with the administrative machinery for ignoring these aspects, he said and urged the authorities to take serious note of these issues for redressal.
Growing unemployment can result in acute resentment ,which can have many portents and may result in violence of one or the other form, he said while urging the government to deal with this issue seriously.
“Everyone wants peace and tranquility and development in Jammu and Kashmir and those who are at the helm of affairs must devise systems to ensure these objectives on a fast-track basis”, the DAP leader said.
Those who also attended and spoke on the occasion were Narinder Sharma (Sr. leader DAP), Lala Bansi Lal Gupta, Varun Mangotra, Sh. karnail Singh, Rashpal Singh, Cap. kali Dass, Vikram Singh, Ram Lal Bhagat, Vipan Lachotra (Youth leader DAP), Suresh Kumar, Ashok Singh Jamwal, Smt Pooja Rani ( Sarpanch Jamotiyan), Som Dutt Sharma, Pt. kewal Krishan Parda, and Mr Thappa and various other people from Akhnoor constituency.
