Says that a ban on the ‘Durbar Move’ will harm Jammu’s economy and demands that J&K be granted statehood
Ghulam Nabi Azad, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and a senior Congress figure, said on Monday that the order denying passports and jobs to those involved in stone pelting and other illegal activities was not new, but rather a rehash of previous circulars.
“The recent circular is not new; those who engage in stone pelting or any other anti-national activity previously had to obtain all clearances before being hired. They are not considered on an equal footing with the other candidates. They must go through verifications,” he explained, adding that “it is not a new order, but rather a recreation of previous circulars.”
According to Kashmir-based news agency KNO, Azad said that the administration’s decision to ban the “Durbar Move” is “wrong and suicidal for the economy of Jammu,” and that it should continue as before.
“The Durbar Movement is a years-old process that began in Jammu and Kashmir during the Dogra rule. It is extremely important for Jammu’s economy. “If the ‘Durbar Move’ is stopped, Jammu will be ruined,” the former chief minister said, adding that “the economy of Jammu will suffer greatly as a result of the closure of the Durbar Move.” Large corporations, as well as tea vendors and taxi drivers, will suffer as a result of the absence of visitors from Kashmir.”
He claims that not only traders, but also people who rent their homes to Kashmiris during the winter, as well as grocery store owners in mohallas, will suffer.
Azad was speaking at a press conference to mark the end of his three-day visit to Jammu. Azad met with over 150 delegations from 37 assembly constituencies in ten districts of Jammu division in Jammu over the course of three days.
He said that the central government should release two to four hundred crores for the protection of Mubarak Mandi, in opposition to the decision to build a heritage hotel in Mubarak Mandi.
He went on to say that Jammu lacks tourist attractions and that, if developed, Mubarak Mandi could become the city’s main tourist attraction.
“We had started the work of conservation of Mubarak Mandi by releasing forty crores during our time,” the Congress leader continued.
“We wanted to build a lake from Siddha to Gujjar Nagar, but our government’s ally PDP had the concerned department at the time, which did not agree,” he said, referring to the artificial lake in the Tawi river. Then we went ahead and built golf courses there.”
“Later, when the department came to us during the National Conference Congress government under Omar Abdullah’s leadership, work on an artificial lake began. Jammu’s tourism will benefit from the conservation of the lake and Mubarak Mandi, he said.
Azad also demanded that Jammu and Kashmir be granted statehood. “Bureaucracy is for indoor work. We demand that this be brought to a close and that statehood be granted. After the statehood is granted, legislative assembly elections should be held. We also want Kashmiri pandits from all over the world to return to us,” the Congressman added.
He stated that the situation in J&K is not ideal, as elected representatives are required in a democracy.
“In Jammu and Kashmir, there has been no elected representative for the last four years, which has pushed it back in many fields,” Azad said.
The Chenab Times News Desk