S. Manjit Singh voices concern over growing terror incidents in Jammu region

• Says Central Govt fails to control terror, puts innocent lives to risk in hilly Region

SAMBA: Apni Party Provincial President, Jammu, and Former Minister, S. Manjit Singh has voiced his concern over growing terror related incidents in Jammu Region because of the failure of the Central Govt.

“The Central Govt has failed to curb the terrorism in Jammu Region which has shown a rise in the incidents across various districts, and it has consumed many lives. Day-to-day the lives of the security force personnel are being lost, and the civilians in hilly regions also spending their lives in fear,” said S. Manjit Singh, addressing a public meeting at village Amwal in Vijaypur Block of Samba District.

He said that the people are constantly living under fear because of the frequent movement of the suspicious persons and terror attacks respectively in various areas from Pir Panjal, Chenab Valley to the plains of Jammu region.

“The security situation has taken a complete U-Turn contradicting the claims of the Central Govt that it has controlled the terror. However, the things are completely different on the ground, and it has emerged as volatile in border areas in particular,” he added. While the people also expressed their worries, the Former Minister said that it was unfortunate that no one was ready to hear the concerns of the people.

“It concerns us – to the people in Jammu and Kashmir, when the priority shifts from strengthen the security grid and foiling the terror incidents, the Central Govt focuses on to weaken the elected Govts just before the proposed assembly elections,” he said, amid the sloganeering against the authoritarian attitude of the Govt towards Jammu and Kashmir.

He said that these elections were waited for the last several years by the people of Jammu and Kashmir desperately, but it was not expected from the Central Govt that it would make a unilateral decision to weaken the democracy in the erstwhile state that is termed as Crown of India.

He further said that the Apni Party has cleared its stand that it would not consider the decision of the Central Govt in which the Lt Governor has been empowered with powers that has made him more powerful than an elected Govt.

“We were holding protests in the wake of growing public pressure and demand that a full statehood must be restored to Jammu and Kashmir. This erstwhile state has a history that gives it an important place in the country in comparison to other states of the nation. However, that was compromised, and it was downgraded by eroding its democratic institutions,” he added.

He said that the public outcry against the Govt’s move has grown in all the sections of society across Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, he demanded that the security apparatus should be improved, and the Village Defence Groups should be strengthened. 

Earlier, he S. Manjit Singh has grieved over the martyrdom of four Army soldiers including an officer in Doda. These four personnel gave their supreme sacrifices during an encounter in Doda District that broke out yesterday evening.

“I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members of the martyred soldiers, and officers who gave supreme sacrifice,” said Manjit Singh. He prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul, and courage to the bereaved family members to bear this irreparable loss.