BJP’s Lal Singh floats new outfit, terms it apolitical
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People of Jammu have sacrificed for unity of the country. We will continue with it, but not allow anyone to play with our dignity.
LAL SINGH, former J&K minister
JAMMU: Former BJP minister Lal Singh launched an apolitical outfit ‘Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan’ on Sunday to intensify his fight to “restore the dignity” of the community in Jammu and Kashmir.
“A sense of insecurity is creeping among the people of Jammu region. Dogras have been neglected in every sphere and treated as second-class citizens,” said the legislator from Basohli as he floated the new organisation at a function at Teacher’s Bhawan in Gandhi Nagar here.
He added, “The youth is leaving Jammu as opportunities are shrinking. We are demanding justice for people of the region, which they have been craving for many decades.”
“The struggle for the Dogra pride will intensify in the coming days. People of Jammu region have sacrificed for the sake of unity and integrity of country. We will continue making sacrifices, but not allow anyone to play with our sentiments, honour and dignity,” he said.
On the launch of outfit, the BJP leader also released and a 21-point ‘vision document’ of Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan was released. In the vision document, demands of separate recruitment agencies for Jammu, delimitation of assembly constituencies and separate education infrastructure were raised.
Lal Singh had resigned from the cabinet in April following pressure by the BJP high command after he lent support to the demand for a CBI probe into the Kathua rape-murder case.
Raking up the Dogra sentiment, Singh then held rallies, road shows in different parts of the region.
He also refrained from attending party events and was even absent during a rally by party president Amit Shah, held in Jammu last month.
While Singh continues to be a part of the BJP, no party member was part of the new outfit.