LS polls: Dr Jitendra Singh files nomination from Udhampur, seeks third term

Slamming the Opposition parties in Jammu and Kashmir, especially the Kashmir-centric parties, for “following a policy of appeasement to the extent of being inhuman”, Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Thursday claimed that these parties discriminated between the people living on the International Border and those along the Line of Control (LoC) purely for votes.

Addressing a big rally in Kathua’s Ramlila Maidan after filing his nomination papers for the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency before the returning officer Rakesh Minhas, Dr Singh said, “Till 3 am on Thursday (preceding night) buses carrying people from Doda and Kishtwar districts kept pouring here for this rally. This shows their love and trust for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the work done by the BJP government in the past 10 years in this area.”

He recalled how previous governments in Jammu and Kashmir had discontinued the Dogra certificate to the natives and kept denying 4% reservation to the dwellers of the International Border before the BJP stepped in and ended the discrimination.

“Dogra certificate was introduced by the Maharaja. It enabled youth of the Dogra community to get relaxation in height for joining armed forces. Similarly, 4% reservation was given to the residents along the LoC but was denied to the residents of the International Border by the previous governments. The BJP government ended the step-motherly treatment to the people along the IB and also restored Dogra certificate,” he said.

Dr Singh highlighted various developmental works in the past 10 years in Jammu and Kashmir, especially in his Udhampur constituency and sought a third term from the people.

“I worked honestly and dedicated my life to the welfare of the people in the past 10 years. I am again seeking the blessings of the people for the third time,” he said.

To mention a few, he listed Udhampur railway station named after captain Tushar Mahajan, Devika river rejuvenation project, first radio station in Udhampur, sanctioning of ₹90 crore homoeopathy college in Kathua’s Jasrota, various hydel power projects, road and rail networks and Shahpur Kandi barrage, airfield in Kishtwar and Bhaderwah that emerged as lavender capital of India.

“Politicians are still trying tricks of the past, which don’t work anymore because voters have moved on. The development, which has taken place in Jammu and Kashmir in the past 10 years, was never seen before by the people,” he asserted.

Earlier, jal shakti minister Thakur Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, former international wrestler Dalip Singh alias ‘Khali the Great’, state president Ravinder Raina, general secretary Ashok Koul, national general secretary Dr Narendra Singh and several other party leaders accompanied Dr Singh to the office of the Kathua deputy magistrate Rakesh Minhas where he filed his nomination papers.

Udhampur Lok Sabha seat goes to polls in the first phase on April 19. The last date for nomination is March 27. Scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on March 28 and names will be withdrawn by March 30.

This morning Dr Jitendra Singh had also performed a special Puja at his Trikuta Nagar residence in Jammu to pray for third consecutive victory.

He had won from the Udhampur constituency in 2019 by a margin of 3,57,252 votes. In 2014 Lok Sabha election, he won by a margin of 60,976 votes by defeating former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.