Jammu, Jul 10: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary demanded action against the officials responsible for, what he alleged, “security breach” during the National Conference function addressed by him, in Hiranagar of Kathua district.
“This is purely a security lapse by the Police. Earlier also, there was a security lapse at Greater Kailash. I’m the Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on a “tour-programme.” This breach (protest) happened with the knowledge of the concerned DySP and SHO. They (protesters) were deliberately sent here to disrupt my programme,” Choudhary said, speaking to the media after his scheduled programme in Hiranagar.
Reference was to a protest by an advocate, who briefly disrupted DyCM’s party (NC) function to register protest against, what he alleged, “the non-fulfillment of promise by the Chief Minister to announce National Law University (NLU) in Jammu as well.”
The public function (rally), addressed by Choudhary along with NC provincial president Jammu Rattan Lal Gupta, was organised in connection with the party’s ongoing campaign to mobilise support for its movement for early restoration of statehood to J&K.
NC has already announced to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar on July 20- the opening day of the Monsoon session of Parliament.
The Deputy Chief Minister asserted that if the group of protesters had a genuine demand, they could take it up with the Chief Minister.
“I believe that Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) does not want the J&K government or its ministers to move anywhere. I’ll request the DGP and LG Sahib to initiate action against the SHO Hiranagar and the DySP concerned,” Choudhary said.
Describing the incident “as a big security lapse due to dereliction of duty by the concerned Police officials”, the Deputy Chief Minister alleged, “You (Police) cannot allow a security breach in case of a protectee. This particular youth tried to jump on the stage with the intention to attack.”
“I’ll ask the DC Sahib to take notice of this incident and a letter should be dispatched to the DGP from the DC office also as it is related to Police failure,” Choudhary said.
The protester, who was whisked away by the Police from the rally venue after his brief altercation with the Deputy Chief Minister, later protested with a group of youth along the road, outside the venue.
After the NC function was over, the Deputy Chief Minister had a brief verbal confrontation with the youth and his associates outside the venue as well.
“The CM had promised to address the issue in 15 days. Now four months have lapsed and the promise has not been met. We were not here to disrupt DyCM’s function, we came here only to remind him of the CM’s promise to Jammu youth,” the protesting youth told the media.
The Deputy Chief Minister, however, accused the Police of facilitating the protest.
With regard to the public function, Choudhary, while responding to queries of media persons, said that it was aimed at requesting the Prime Minister and the Union Minister to restore statehood at the earliest.
“This is an effort to remind them of their promise. We are mobilising support of all sections of society in J&K for the NC protest at Jantar Mantar to rake up this demand forcefully. We want all political parties, including J&K BJP which too had promised statehood as an electoral promise, to join us. This is not just the responsibility of NC only. We have taken initiative and have invited all – Bar, transporters, civil society, Chamber etc., to join us. Let’s see who joins us there to prove their commitment to J&K people,” he said.
In response to a question about the Leader of Opposition in J&K Legislative Assembly Sunil Sharma’s repeated prophecies about the “imminent fall of NC government”, Choudhary dared, “Let him (Sunil) or his party buy those MLAs, who are saleable and form the government, if they can. NC’s red flag delineates a history of sacrifices. One cannot bully us with such hollow threats. NC has formed the government by winning people’s trust while BJP can come to power only through deceitful means. Let them do it if they have the courage. We’re not afraid.”
