The lesser-known organizations in Jammu that act as pressure groups and leveling fields for political parties are up in arms against Bhartiya Janata Party. These groups believe that local body polls in Jammu are likely to be postponed as the BJP currently lacks popularity.
The host of issues that people of Jammu want to be addressed on a priority basis includes ‘Smart Meters’, ‘Toll Plaza, and ‘Property Tax.
Amit Kapoor president – president ‘Dogra Welfare Sanghatan’ Jammu who led multiple protests against the installation of Smart Meters in Janipora, Tawi Bridge, Bhagvati Nagar believes that BJP is yet again playing a game and instead of raising the issue of smart meters, jobs, inflation, it is highlighting the issue of toll plaza that is affecting a small chunk of the population.
“Once Express Way will come up, toll plaza will go. It has to go sooner or later and BJP is using some organizations and unions that highlight only the issue of toll plaza. It knows toll plaza will go and just want to take credit,” he said.
He said some people from ‘Yuva Rajput Sabha’ are genuine but most of the people are being backed by BJP. “Today transporters of Jammu have been observing strike on toll plaza issue. These transport leaders as we all know are BJP supporters. BJP only wants to popularize some new faces as it did during the 2008 Amarnath agitation so that they can be given tickets for assembly elections,” Kapoor said adding that raising only toll plaza issue is an attempt to befool people and clearing the field for new candidates for the party.
Kapoor while talking to Srinagar-based news agency Kashmir News Trust said this time people of Jammu won’t vote on religious lines. “BJP can’t befool people of Jammu now. They have understood the game plan of this party and desperately want the cessation of smart meters.
“Jammu people have now realized the importance of Article 370. We have lost everything. People who have been given smart meter contracts are relatives of BJP politicians and everyone in Jammu is aware of this fact,” he said
In response to a question, Amit Kapoor who claims to be apolitical said that sensing the mood of the people, BJP politicians are in hibernation and don’t dare to come on roads. “Mark my words, local body polls will be postponed as BJP knew it is not going to get a single seat,” he added.
He said the strike of transporters on toll plaza issue is a deep-rooted conspiracy to overshadow the issue of smart meters.
Another Dogra leader, Sunny Kant Chib whose video is viral on social media challenged BJP to hold Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Chib while hailing the role of Kashmiris in defending Article 370 has claimed that the people of Jammu will hit to roads to restore the status of the Dogra state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Chairman Statehood Mission Sunil Dimple said that anger among people in Jammu is brewing. He said the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the State of Jammu and Kashmir was constitutional murder and people of the erstwhile state were not taken on board by BJP-led Central Government.
The efforts to contact BJP Jammu Kashmir president Ravinder Raina didn’t materialize as his phone was powered off, however, another BJP leader and former Speaker Kavinder Gupta told KNT that there is nothing in the hands of BJP in Jammu and Kashmir as it is being run by bureaucracy. “BJP believes that the government should come up with clarification as far as the installation of smart meters is concerned and wherever people are getting fatty bills, the matter should be verified and investigated. [KNT]