S. Manjit Singh asks people to strengthen democracy in J&K

• Says Apni Party aims to protect rights of all regions, educated youth, ensure equitable development

SAMBA:  Apni Party Provincial President, Jammu, and Former Minister, S. Manjit Singh has appealed to the people to participate in large numbers in the scheduled legislative assembly elections of Jammu and Kashmir to strengthen the democratic roots. “The Apni Party is committed to empower the people with the strengthening of the democratic institutions which were compromised in the last several years in Jammu and Kashmir,” said S. Manjit Singh, addressing a meeting here at Vijaypur in Samba District.

The meeting was part of the political campaign launched in the wake of the recently announced legislative assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir were deprived of their democratic right to elect their Govt because the Election Commission of India delayed the assembly elections without citing valid reasons.

“There is resentment among the people as the bureaucracy was not listening to the people but implementing the authoritarian decisions without against the will of the people,” he stated. In the meantime, he said that Jammu has also faced deliberate ignorance from the authorities that has given rise to frustration among the young generation with little scope for employment in private and Govt sectors.

“The recruitment, whichever were conducted, came under the scanner, after allegations of nepotism and biased approach of the authorities. Hence, many of them were cancelled. Hence, those who were aspiring to get employment in their Govt departments of their choice were left helpless, and many became overaged while waiting for the decisions on the alleged scammed recruitment in J&K,” he said.

He said that if the Apni Party forms the Govt in J&K, they would advertise all the vacant posts, and a transparent recruitment process would be conducted across all the regions. “We will not promote any kind of regional or religious divide because we believe in harmony and peaceful coexistence. Our agenda is to bring the people of two regions together, and fight against the divisive forces to create a cordial atmosphere,” he added.

He further educated the people about welfare schemes, and developmental policies that would be implemented in J&K, if the Party forms the next Govt. He also demanded restoration of statehood in J&K and restoration of all the powers to an elected Govt while questioning the extra powers to the Lt Governor of J&K that would undermine the elected Govt.