Jammu: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Thursday said the BJP which called Independent MLA Satish Sharma “Satish Abdullah” is now “shedding crocodile tears” over his removal from the cabinet in a recent reshuffle.
Countering the BJP’s charge that the National Conference government had neglected Hindu leaders from the Jammu division, Choudhary alleged that the BJP had attempted to politically damage him and Sharma and had even branded them as “Jaichands” — traitors — in the past.
“I feel sad that Satish Sharma is no longer part of our cabinet. He was my colleague in the government until yesterday. But I am surprised to see the BJP shedding crocodile tears over his removal when the same party used to call Satish Sharma ‘Satish Abdullah’ and me ‘Surinder Abdullah’,” Choudhary told reporters during a visit to a market in railway station area here where a fire erupted.
“If the BJP had such objections to us, why is it expressing concern now over Satish Sharma’s removal? The BJP in Jammu tried to get both Satish Sharma and Surinder Choudhary dropped,” he alleged.
Choudhary thanked Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah for retaining him in the cabinet and continuing to repose faith in him as deputy chief minister.
“The National Conference gave Jammu honour and respect by appointing a Hindu leader as deputy chief minister. After the chief minister, the deputy CM holds the second-highest position in the government,” he said.
Referring to BJP chief spokesperson Sunil Sethi’s allegation that the NC had become a “Muslim Conference”, Choudhary questioned the BJP’s claims of secularism and inclusive governance.
“The BJP talks about ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’. I want to ask the party whether it has appointed even one Muslim as a minister, CM or deputy CM in the governments it runs across the country or in central government” he said.
He challenged the BJP to explain why it was questioning the National Conference’s credentials on representation when the party had elected Hindu representatives from Jammu and appointed him deputy CM.
Choudhary also asserted that his Jat background did not make him any less Hindu or Dogra.
“Is Surinder Choudhary not a Hindu? Is a Jat not a Hindu? If I am not a Hindu, then the BJP should explain which communities it considers Hindu and which castes it recognises as part of Sanatan Dharma,” he said.
“I am a devotee of Mata Vaishno Devi and a believer in Mata Durga. Whatever position I have reached today, I believe it is because of their blessings. The remarks made yesterday have hurt me because questions were raised against the entire Jat community,” he said.
Choudhary also invoked the historical association of the Dogra community with Maharaja Hari Singh’s rule, saying members of the Jat community had also served during that period.
He questioned the BJP’s position on Dogra identity, arguing that the party had repeatedly claimed that Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians in Jammu could all be Dogras.
“If every person in Jammu, irrespective of religion, can be called a Dogra, then why is a Jat leader being questioned about his Hindu and Dogra identity?” he asked.
The deputy CM also expressed disappointment with BJP spokesperson Sunil Sethi, referring to his family association with former legislator Krishan Dev Sethi, whom Choudhary said he had admired and learnt from during his formative years.
He further challenged the BJP to substantiate its allegations of corruption against him and asked the party to explain the sources of wealth of its own leaders.
“If the BJP has the courage, let it name the leaders who accumulated wealth after 2014, established stone crushers and factories, acquired vehicles and machinery, or opened big malls. Before pointing fingers at others, the BJP should look into its own affairs,” he said.
Accusing the BJP of damaging Jammu, Choudhary also questioned its response to the fire at Shiv Market, where several shops were gutted, and said the focus should remain on the suffering of affected traders.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expanded his council of ministers on Tuesday with the induction of four new faces from the Kashmir valley, triggering internal party discontent and protests, even as the opposition BJP hit out at the ruling alliance over “regional and cultural imbalance”.
With all four inductees hailing from Kashmir, the expansion has shifted the balance of the cabinet in the two-year-old government heavily towards the valley. Seven ministers in the now 9-member council hail from Kashmir, while Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Chaudhary and Javaid Rana remain the only two representatives from the Jammu region.
Independent MLA from Chhamb, Satish Sharma, was dropped from the cabinet to accommodate the new inductees.
Assures relief for fire-hit traders
Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Thursday said the government would extend all possible assistance to those who suffered losses in the devastating blaze in the Shiva market here, and help them restart their businesses.
A massive fire had ripped through the market early Sunday, gutting around 40 shops and reducing a bustling commercial stretch to rubble.
Choudhary, who visited the market and interacted with shopkeepers, said the fire had destroyed the livelihood of several middle-class traders who had invested beyond their means in stocking goods ahead of Diwali and other festivals.
“This is a prominent and very old market near the railway station. I have visited this market many times and purchased goods here. These are mostly middle-class shopkeepers who had invested beyond their capacity in their businesses,” he told reporters here.
“The government will extend whatever special assistance is possible. It is the government’s responsibility and duty to stand by people in their time of distress,” he said.
The deputy chief minister said he had visited the market on the directions of the chief minister, who was currently in Delhi for important meetings and was expected to return to Jammu on November 2.
He said he had interacted with Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Arun Gupta, the market president and members of the market committee to assess the losses and understand the concerns of the affected traders.
“I will arrange a meeting of the affected shopkeepers with the chief minister. I will also call the deputy commissioner and the Jammu Development Authority vice chairman to the Secretariat to discuss what can be done to help them,” he said.
Acknowledging that the assistance available under the existing guidelines might be limited, the deputy chief minister said the government would explore the possibility of extending relief on a special-case basis.
“If we strictly go by the MHA guidelines and the existing rules, these poor traders may not receive much assistance. But this is a special case because their livelihood is at stake,” he said.
However, he cautioned against making unrealistic promises.
“To say that we can compensate them 100 per cent for their losses would be impossible and would amount to making a false promise. But I can assure you that the government will extend full cooperation, to the extent possible, as a special case to help them restart their livelihoods,” he said.
He noted that the timing of the fire had compounded the losses as traders had stocked up on goods for Diwali, Vishwakarma Puja and Bhai Dooj.
The deputy chief minister said he was informed that one trader had stocked goods worth Rs 50 lakh just two days before the incident.
“Imagine what he must be going through. The goods have been destroyed, and the damage to the shops is also extensive. Iron rods have come out of the roofs, which gives an idea of how intense and devastating the fire was,” he said.
The deputy chief minister urged the affected shopkeepers to prepare a memorandum outlining their demands and submit it to the chief minister during the proposed meeting.
He also said traders could undertake minor repairs to their shops ahead of Diwali, which falls on November 8.
Stressing that the issue should not be politicised, he said his visit was motivated by humanitarian considerations and the responsibility of an elected government towards those affected by the tragedy.
“This is not a political statement. It is a matter of humanity and the duty of a responsible government. We will try to find a solution so that these traders can resume their businesses,” he said.
