Today on 26th of May 2020 the Dogra Sadar Sabha J&K organized a press conference at Sabha Bhawan at Dogra Hall Jammu, amidst strict observance of the social distancing and other Carona preventive precautions. Th. Gulchain Singh Charak Former Minister & President DSS along with other office bearers addressed the Press.
Boosted by the High Court recent verdicts on varied timings and their long outstanding and repeatedly projected demand of doing away with the Darbar Move the Dogra Sadar Sabha (DSS) welcomed the High Court order to do away with the 92 year old practice of varied court timings. Calling the order a “much needed litigant friendly” decision, Th. Gulchain Singh Charak said that the order will go a long way in reducing the suffering of litigants, reduce the time and quantum of pendency cases. It brings J&K union territory one more step closer to rest of the nation obliterating the ‘special status syndrome’.
Talking about the Hon’ble High Court’s observation on Darbar Move, President DSS and Former Minister Th. Gulchain Singh Charak called it grand landmark verdict which may impact the history of J&K bringing solace, comfort and justice to both the regions of the UT who were deprived of governance for about seven months and save the fruitless draining of well over Rs 600 Cr per annum. He said the decision taken by Maharaja Ranbir Singhji during 1872 was to Checkmate Russian designs in Afghanistan; promote economic interests and road connectivity up to the northern borders; that needed close and physical supervision in those days of poor transportation. The DSS demands that after a successful trial this year the secretariat should continue to function for the whole year from both the capitals i.e. Jammu and Srinagar simultaneously.
Sh. Charak elaborated that the aim of his meeting the press was to reach out and appeal to seek the support and views from all Jammu leaders representing the political, social, religious, intellectuals, opinion makers, traders and other organizations of Jammu about the various issues projected by the Dogra Sadar Sabha J&K as the oldest and historical organization of the state.
He pointed out that the DSS has repeatedly raised the issue about the preservation, renovation and restoration of our heritage/ Archives of Mubarak Mandi at the highest levels in the State. We have been well received and our detailed power point presentations attended to with rapt attention. Substantial funds have also been allocated twice to get started but, nothing justifying the expenditure is seen happening on ground while the unique, prestigious monuments of Dogra identity are perishing through each monsoon. They are in ruins today, like all other monuments in the region. All Dogras, must unite to project for saving these monuments of our identity. It is time to plunge together or parish.
The DSS started the Jammu festival as a platform for local talents, artists and artisans. It was a window to showcase Dogra culture and traditional Duggar folk music and dances in two weeks long district wise celebrations. Over the years it was reduced to an outsourced expensive one day programme displaying Punjabi music through paid artists. We demand revival and proper organization of Jammu Festival in its original form.
We admire and fully support the domicile certificate decision and welcome the 18th May notification. However it has been very harsh by not granting the domicile to Gallantry Awardees and families of those Armed forces and PMFs personnel who have laid their lives in line of duty while defending or protecting J&K. They should be granted the Domicile Certificate without stipulation of time along with some who serve in J&K for ten years in broken tenures. Their sacrifices are adored, praised and forgotten after few weeks. He pointed out that it is an irony that erstwhile J&K state permitted a designated grave yard even for the terrorists in Kashmir, called ‘Majar-e-Shouda, Eid Gah at Srinagar, but there is no memorial for the five thousand martyrs of our armed forces who left their nationwide homes to defend and protect the disturbed J&K State (now UT) made supreme sacrifices and never returned. DSS demands a graceful befitting national level war memorial be made for these martyrs at a prominent place commonly visited by tourists like the Boulevard Road or besides the Moghul Gardens overlooking the Dal Lake or near the Tulip Garden in Srinagar. It shall not only boost the tourism, since all connected families will like to visit the memorial on their anniversaries to pay homage but will also be a source of inspiration for coming generations.
We also demand creation of Ex Servicemen Colony in Srinagar (Kashmir) and issue of ‘Dogra certificate to give Dogra aspirants hill tribe concession in physical stature as available to all other hill tribes, like Gorkhas, Garwalis, Kumaunis, Assamese and tribes from the north eastern states; for joining central/ police forces. Both of these points were agreed upon but later shelved by erstwhile J&K State Government on the behest of separatist block.
There is immediate need to save the whole areas of Ramban and other hilly terrain having potential for tourism which is being destroyed due to the wrong alignments for construction of National Highway. A thorough inquiry is required to go into the very necessity, survey, technical/geological feasibility and contractual procedures of this ill-conceived devastating project, causing more harm than good to J&K tourism.
The DSS also called upon the union government that considering our population and geographical area including PoJK, Giligit and Baltistan, J&K should be upgraded back as of full flagged state like any other state in the country. To start the democratic political process a legislative assembly is required to be elected. However such an exercise can be meaningful only after fresh census followed by delimitation.
Once again Sh. Charak reiterated the earlier demand of removing the barriers blocking the road in front of the secretariat. The checking point should be shifted 50 mtrs towards the main building permitting free flow of traffic, tourists, school children, old temple worshipers, women coming to Zanana park and the cremation parties.
President DSS called upon all sincere well-wishers of Dogras to shed all kind of differences and express their views on these points and let us project these from a common platforms for saving and promoting the interests of the Dogras as a race close to losing its identity.
During the Press Conference the DSS president was accompanied by P. S. Gupta, G. A. Khwaja, Col. Dr. Virendra K. Sahi,VrC, Gambhir Dev Singh Charak, Amanat Ali Shah and Sdr. Hakumat Singh.
Sd/-
Dr. V.S. Sharma
Secretary DSS,
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