BJP demands Rs 20 lakh relief for flood, cloudburst hit people
Jammu, Jul 21: Launching a scathing attack on the ruling National Conference (NC), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday accused Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the party leadership of indulging in “political theatrics” in New Delhi while Jammu and Kashmir was grappling with one of the worst rain-related tragedies in recent years.
Addressing a press conference here, Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Sunil Sharma along with former Minister and MLA, Shama Lal Sharma, MLA, Mohan Lal Bhagat, party vice president, Dr Shenaaz Ganaie, general secretary, Gopal Mahajan, spokesperson, Zorawar Singh Jamwal, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) alleged that the National Conference had chosen “politics over humanity” by organising and participating in a protest in the national capital at a time when flash floods, cloudbursts and landslides had claimed several lives across the Union Territory, particularly in Poonch and Rajouri districts.
Sunil Sharma said that as the head of the government, Omar Abdullah’s foremost responsibility was to remain in Jammu and Kashmir, personally monitor rescue and relief operations, and ensure that all available resources were mobilised to save lives and assist the affected families.
The BJP leaders demanded Rs 20 lakh compensation for those who lost their lives in cloud burst and flash floods besides 6 months ration, immediate rehabilitation of rain affected families, re-establishment of damaged religious institutions and temporary houses for those families living in slum areas of district Rajouri who have lost everything including utensils and clothes in flash floods. They also demanded similar compensation and relief to those who lost their lives in shooting stones in Ragi Nullah in Doda district and structures damaged in Kyar Dachhan belt of Kishtwar district.
Sunil Sharma further informed that following news of another cloud burst in Loran Mandi, a team headed by former party president Ravinder Raina has rushed to that affected belt to meet affected families and take stock of situation so that immediaye relief could be provided at party level.
“The Chief Minister should have been standing with the grieving families and supervising the ongoing rescue operations instead of staging a political protest in New Delhi. Even today, several bodies remain buried under debris in the flood-ravaged areas of Poonch and Rajouri, but the ruling party appears more interested in political optics than addressing the humanitarian crisis,” he said.
Taking strong exception to photographs of the Chief Minister circulating on social media during the Delhi protest, Sharma alleged that Omar Abdullah was “busy posing for photographs with his sons and sharing images of travelling in an e-auto” while people in Jammu and Kashmir were battling unprecedented devastation.
“It is unfortunate that at a time when families are searching for their missing loved ones and rescue teams are risking their lives to retrieve bodies from the debris, the Chief Minister is engaged in what has become a Delhi picnic and photo session,” Sharma alleged.
The BJP leader, who recently conducted an extensive tour of the flood-hit areas in Poonch and Rajouri, claimed that the scale of destruction was enormous and many affected families were still awaiting immediate assistance. He said the administration should be focusing entirely on relief, rehabilitation and restoring normalcy instead of pursuing political programmes outside the Union Territory.
Accusing the National Conference of treating the tragedy with “insensitivity,” Sharma said the ruling party had demonstrated that “politics comes first while human suffering takes a back seat.” He urged the Chief Minister to return immediately and devote his full attention to the rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts, asserting that the people of Jammu and Kashmir expected leadership during times of crisis, not political demonstrations.
The BJP leaders also informed that party leaders and workers of all flood affected districts are preparing a comprehensive report of losses including that of residential and commercial, crops, livestock, agriculture land. The report would be submitted to top party leadership to further take up with State as well as central government.
Lambasting Omar Abdullah led J&K government, Sunil Sharma pointed out that, “The events of July 20 have laid bare the stark moral and operational bankruptcy of the National Conference (NC) leadership and the Omar Abdullah-led administration”.
“When devastating flash floods and cloudbursts struck the Rajouri and Poonch districts, resulting in tragic loss of life, extensive destruction of property, and widespread distress among our citizens, the choice before NC leadership was simple: Humanity or Politics? Omar chose politics over humanity and its irony,” highlighted Sunil Sharma. (KNO)
