Jammu, Oct.29(HS): An impression is being sought to be created around the world that J&K means Kashmir alone to the neglect to Jammu region. And this is corroborated by the fact that Govt. of India has arranged the visit of EU team to Kashmir only despite the reports in media that the said delegation was visiting J&K. No effort has been made either by BJP led govt. or the EU to address and assess the situation in Jammu region which continues to suffer in ignominy despite it harboring the principles of pluralism, non – violence and peaceful co-existence.
This was stated by Harsh Dev Singh Chairman JKNPP & former Minister while interacting with a section of media today. Singh regretted that while the Parliamentarians of the European Union had planned to visit J&K, the BJP Govt. had cleared their visit to Kashmir alone without using the opportunity to draw the world attention towards Jammu region which firmly supported abrogation of special status of J&K as an internal matter of India. This could also have given a balanced view of the prevailing situation in J&K to the Western MPs besides providing an opening to Jammu which suffered neglect and inattention at the national as well as international level, asserted Singh.
He said that priority for EU delegation should have been the IB of Jammu where the life of border dwellers has become a hell due to war like situation created by Pakistan. No inference could be drawn without assessing the situation in both the regions of Kashmir as well as Jammu as one sided version would only lead to flawed, rather fatal conclusions, observed Singh.
He regretted that the BJP which often parroted the neglect of Jammu while in opposition had become completely focused on Kashmir after its ascendance to power with Dogra land nowhere figuring either in its itinerary or its development and other socio-political agenda. Accusing further the BJP of double standards, Mr. Singh said that selective permissions to delegations to visit J&K amounted to infringement of Constitutional propriety.
While the outside Parliamentarians were allowed to visit the Valley, the denial of permission to Indian Parliamentarians was an insult to India democracy and Parliament’s sovereignty. Likewise giving clearance to EU team while refusing the same to US senators also had raised many an eyebrows at the national as well as international level, said Singh.
He questioned the invitation to three Kashmir based leaders in New Delhi for holding interaction with European delegation without inviting even a single leader of Jammu to participate in the said meeting.
