Hitting out at the BJP, the National Conference (NC) President, Dr. Farooq Abdullah said that the saffron party excels in rhetoric, but when it comes to action, they fall short.

Addressing various delegations at his residence here, he expressed deep concern over the escalating struggles faced by the general public on a daily basis. “The residents of Jammu city are grappling with numerous civic challenges as a result of the lackadaisical attitude of the authorities over the past ten years. Tall claims have remained mere words on paper. The previous monsoon season has laid bare the hollowness of the BJP-led Jammu Municipal Corporation’s lofty promises.”

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He further stated that BJP has exacerbated the sufferings of the people. He emphasized that NC is dedicated to rectifying the “injustice inflicted” by the BJP in J&K. He said that the BJP cannot use its right-wing ideology as a shield to avoid answering crucial questions about the declining civic amenities in the Jammu city. He urged party functionaries to prepare for the upcoming ULB and Panchayat elections.

Dr. Abdullah said that the promises made by previous “undemocratic regimes” to ensure balanced development in J&K have proven to be empty, as evidenced by the deteriorating civic infrastructure in Jammu city. He made these remarks while echoing the sentiments of several individuals and delegations who visited him at his residence. The delegations hailed from Poonch, Katra, Jammu Rural, and Kathua.

The Jammu and Srinagar cities are in desperate need of a comprehensive urban renewal programme and united efforts to tackle the issues arising from the ever-growing population. Only NC has the vision to move in that direction, as outlined in our manifesto. Jammu, like Srinagar, is the cultural and economic hub of our region, and any progress must be all-encompassing and sustainable. It must impact every aspect of urban life, from culture to commerce, he added.

Ajay Kumar Sadhotra, former minister and additional general secretary and Rattan Lal Gupta, provincial president of Jammu, were present.