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BJP, JKAP LEADERS ILLEGALLY ALLOWED TO RETAIN GOVT BUNGALOWS: HARSH DEV

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 4/19/2021 11:44:20 AM

Jammu, Apr 18 Alleging unauthorized occupation of govt bungalows by the workers of BJP and JKAP to the exclusion of all other political parties, scores of Panther activists led by Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman- JKNPP staged a thunderous protest outside the residence of Secretary Estates at Gandhi Nagar, Jammu today. While raising anti-BJP and anti-Estates Deptt slogans, the infuriated protesters sought immediate eviction of all unauthorized BJP and JKAP leaders from govt and Ministerial bungalows illegally occupied by them in collusion with corrupt officers of J&K. They torched the effigies of Estates Deptt, and BJP for looting the tax payers’ money in connivance. The NPP workers pasted notices on the walls of residence of the Estates Deptt Secretary seeking immediate implementation of High Court orders on eviction of illegal occupants and recovery of penal rent from them as often parroted by the govt. Addressing the media, Harsh Dev Singh said that It was shocking to note that BJP leaders who were not holding any position in government and fell in common man’s category were occupying not only ‘Special Type’, ‘A-type’ Estates mansions but many of them were still living in Ministerial Bungalows. And while the opposition leaders including ex-Ministers and heads of recognized political parties were hounded out of Estates quarters’ years back through police force, the said BJP and JKAP workers were allowed to retain the same thereby providing the most glaring example of present govt’s dictatorial and autocratic policies besides being indicative of patronized corruption in BJP rule, rued Harsh. He said that a reply received by him in response to RTI revealed that several BJP workers have been allotted Estates Bungalows which continue to be retained by them in violation of all norms and stipulated procedures. It was further shocking to note that the concerned authorities had allowed the BJP leaders to retain the said Estates bungalows despite categoric orders of their eviction issued repeatedly by the High Court. Not only that the Apni Party had been conferred undue favours by allotting govt accommodation for its political office by defying the orders of the High Court. Strange are the ways of the present regime which provides the most glaring example of the famous proverb “Rules are for fools”. Not only that the govt was demolishing/ evicting the poor, marginalized and unemployed in the name of illegal occupation of State lands, it had granted a sort of immunity to the corrupt leaders of ruling party who had encroached huge chunks of State and Forest lands worth crores besides govt bungalows. Not only the Estates Bungalows but the security vehicles and PSOs were also being allotted purely on political considerations, said Singh. He pointed out that all the Ex-MLAs and Ex-Ministers of BJP and JKAP were provided security vehicles and a huge paraphernalia of security personnel while denying bare minimum security to opposition leaders. He said that the even top leadership of recognized political parties has also been divested of their due security by withdrawing their escorts, vehicles as well as security PSOs despite facing militants’ threats. The security agencies had withdrawn the security cover of majority of opposition leaders and allotted the same to even the small time lower rung workers of BJP.