Srinagar: As senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have been camping in various parts of Kashmir as part of its “public outreach” programs, the saffron party with help of these activities is fulfilling a two-dimensional agenda, that of creating a new bastion with help of showcasing different developmental policies of its dispensation at the Centre.
Senior BJP leaders who are currently on a visit to the Valley told Greater Kashmir that although the present outreach “is a regular activity”, but added that this time around the uptick in political activities is in view of the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, as and when they are held.
Speaking with Greater Kashmir, BJP UT General Secretary (Organisation), Jammu and Kashmir, Ashok Koul, who was on a visit to north, south and central Kashmir recently, said “these visits were quite usual in nature but the response from people has been overwhelming”.
When asked why has the BJP’s outreach coincided with National Conference, Congress and PDP’s public rallies in Pir Panchal and Chenab regions, Koul said “they have just woken up to the reality that people in Jammu and Kashmir need someone to hear them out but BJP has always been at the forefront of these activities”.
“Whichever place we have visited in Kashmir,
our interactions with common people are as realistic as they have been from day one of our foray into the Valley. I have reiterated that restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir is possible only after there is normalcy and there is an end to civilian killings” said Koul.
It may be mentioned that during his recent visit to Bandipora recently, Koul had said that restoration of statehood was possible only after “peace is achieved in Kashmir”.
Koul said for the last several years , BJP workers have been working in various districts to strengthen the party cadre. “People have a lot of hope from the BJP and leadership of the party, especially PM Modi. The way people appreciate the policies of the dispensation at the Centre is quite appreciable” said Koul.
When asked whether BJP’s public public interactions were held keeping in view the assembly elections, as and when it happens in Jammu and Kashmir, Koul said: “It is good to be among the people as anytime elections can happen now. In our future rallies and public outreach programmes also, we will focus on developmental works and keep pointing out administrative lacunae in case there is any. We are always upbeat about elections and whether it was DDC polls or civic polls in Srinagar, we were equally enthusiastic and continue to remain so” said Koul.
It may be mentioned that Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina last week addressing a public gathering at border Tehsil Karnah and said that his party was “committed to develop the far-off and border areas”.
Raina was on a three day visit to frontier Tehsil Karnah and had said that people of Karnah “were deprived by all three political parties including National Conference (NC), Congress and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in terms of constructing a tunnel at Sadhna Top”. Raina had also highlighted that it was not practically possible
Raina had said that “Article 370 will never be restored and those who talk about its restoration were lying to the people of Jammu and Kashmir”.
On November 5, J&K BJP leaders had virtually attended the unveiling of Adi Shankaracharya’s statue by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Shankaracharya Temple in summer capital Srinagar. Union MoS in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh, J&K BJP President Ravinder Raina, former Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, former Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta, BJP General Secretary Sunil Sharma and other party leaders had viewed the live programme from Shankaracharya Temple here.