SRINAGAR: Chairman of the Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan Party, Choudhary Lal Singh has called for the establishment of a separate Jammu state, emphasizing the significant distinctions in tradition, language, and culture between Jammu and the Kashmir valley.
During a rally in Samba district, Singh said, “There should be a separate Jammu state. Why can’t you, the Central government, give us a separate state?”
He further articulated the disparities, stating, “Neither our language resembles theirs, nor our culture, nor do we dress alike. No water flows from Jammu into Kashmir or vice versa.”
Singh, a former minister in the erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir government, paid homage to the Dogra community’s vital contributions in the state’s formation. He declared, “Dogras have not only shed their blood to establish this state but also safeguarded India’s borders. Our forefathers valiantly fought to carve out this state, and our youth currently defend the territory from Siachen to Rajasthan.”
Singh also accused Kashmir-based leaders of depriving Jammu of its rights over the past six decades, asserting that they had wrongly taken jobs that belonged to the people of Jammu.
“Kashmir-based rulers have not only eroded Dogra culture but also usurped job opportunities. They have exploited Dogras for the past 60 years. They harbour resentment towards us. They overlooked Jammu’s tourism potential and deprived the people of Jammu of their rightful entitlements,” he asserted.
Singh, who had previously been associated with Congress and later the BJP before forming his own party, promised, “If you stand by me for the next six months, we will bring about a revolution here.”
Singh criticized the BJP government for discontinuing widow pensions and placing unnecessary demands for certificates, referring to it as a “government of certificates” that failed to provide genuine support to those in need. He also raised concerns about the state’s health infrastructure.
He further discussed the J&K government’s management of smart meters and incorrect bills, emphasizing the region’s potential to generate 60,000 Megawatts of electricity, which he believed was not being adequately utilized to benefit the people.
