Former Minister and Panthers Party president Harsh Dev Singh on Friday said that while J&K continued to suffer and bleed, the BJP was celebrating its nine year rule quite unmindful of the sentiment of the people of the UT.

“Is there anything for a political party to celebrate when the people are mourning the targeted killings going on unabated, especially after the BJP’s ascendance to power,” questioned Singh while addressing public meetings in Udhampur district.

He said that not only Deepu Sharma of Majalta was brutally assassinated recently by the hate mongers but Rajouri carnage continues to remain a grim reminder of failures of the government which promised zero tolerance against terror, said Singh.

Describing the BJP’s celebrations and merry-making as “repulsively bizarre”, Singh said that its “boisterous revel over ‘nine years’ achievements had only triggered cynicism.” The nine-year rule of the BJP has witnessed an extreme form of terrorism in J&K with dozens of episodes of attacks on security forces, civilians, old and the young with 40 soldiers martyred in one single attack of Pulwama.

“The civilian killings and targeted killings were a thing of the past before 2014 but became a routine feature in the ongoing saffron rule. The employees of Jammu region were also targeted and had to leave the valley even risking their jobs which never happened before. But strangely, the BJP leadership continues to indulge in self adulation and unmindful drum beating,” said Singh.

“Demotion of the state to the level of the UT has been the most obnoxious dent on the pride of the people of J&K. Rather than restoring the statehood, the BJP leadership continues to bully and browbeat those who seek status quo ante. The people have been deprived of a democratic government and subjected to ‘Babu Raj’ of outside bureaucrats having hardly any connection with the common masses,” he said.

“The people are suffering for want of basic civil amenities. There is none to listen to the shrill cries of poor, marginalized classes especially in rural areas seeking adequate power, water supply, medicare and power connectivity,” he said.

“The unemployed youth are on roads and the daily wagers and contractuals without wages for several months and even years with an apathetic regime averse to their woes. Corruption is at its peak and rising prices have made the lives of people miserable. But still the BJP is in celebration mode,” he added.