Jammu to decide party manifestos in J

Jammu, Oct 5 (UNI) Lauding the role of people of Jammu during two-month long agitation over Amarnath land row, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) national president Dr Praveen Togadia today said not Kashmir but Jammu would now decide the manifestos of various mainstream political parties contesting the forthcoming Assembly election in the state.

''The mass agitation has indicated that there will be no more discrimination with the people of Jammu as all the three regions will be treated at par in all aspects by the Union Government,'' the VHP president said, while addressing the mass gathering at a function organised by the Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti (SAYSS) to felicitate the families of those who lost their lives during the agitation.

Dr Togadia asserted that the agenda for the coming elections would not be decided by Kashmir alone but that Jammu would now play a key role in preparation of manifestos of the political parties.

''Whether it will be a matter of funds, employment or development, the mass agitation in Jammu has cleared that people of this region will no more be ignored and they have to be treated equally with the Kashmir,'' Dr. Togadia said, adding, ''Kashmir has always emotionally blackmailed the Centre Government to generate funds and people of Jammu, who are nationalist forces, are still deprived of their rights but it will not be tolerated anymore.'' The VHP president added that there was no ''economic blockade'' in Kashmir but the drama was staged only to divert the attention of the Union Government.

''Had there been 'economic blockade' in the Valley, the separatist forces would not have given a call for Kashmir bandh,'' asserted the VHP president.

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