Ruling coalition partner BJP was today accused of ignoring the issues affecting the people of Jammu region at a protest staged here by the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP).
JKNPP activists staged a sit-in and raised slogans against the government as they demanded, among other things, that the service tax imposed on the helicopter service for Vaishno Devi pilgrims be immediately rolled back.
Party chairman Harsh Dev Singh called upon the PDP-led coalition government, and particularly its partner, BJP, to address in the current Assembly session the crucial issues in Jammu region, like the one concerning issuance of Dogra certificate to Dogra youth.
They also demanded implementation of the high court order regarding the beef ban and called for action against anybody found violating the same.
Singh also sought the reinstatement of the government lawyers sacked for defending the beef ban. He further asked the government to remove apprehensions regarding the Jammu AIIMS.
Making a charge of "imbecility and political incompetence" against ruling coalition partner BJP, Singh said that the order of the Finance Department imposing a Service Tax on helicopter services for the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage had deeply hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus the world over.
The state government had bypassed the authority of Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board -- headed by the Jammu and Kashmir governor -- by interfering in the highly-sensitive issue and imposing a tax on the religious pilgrimage, Singh alleged while saying that it was akin to the 'Jazia' imposed by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
