BJP protects mafia, exploits Jammu people and its resources: Tony

Excelsior correspondent

JAMMU, Sep 5: Taranjit Singh Tony, General Secretary of J&K Pradesh Congress Committee and DDC member Suchetgarh today accused the BJP-led government of protecting mafias and ignoring the genuine concerns of the people.
Tony said at a meeting, “By simply installing smart meters, Jammu will not become a smart city. The government is more focused on looting people in the guise of development while not addressing fundamental issues.”
Accusing the BJP of protecting land, liquor and contractor mafias from outside the state for the past decade, he said, “The BJP has been giving jobs to outsiders as is evident from the repeated cancellation of recruitment exams, which clearly indicates the government’s apathy towards the local youth.”
“The people are being plundered in the name of development while the government conveniently ignores the growing mafia culture,” he said.
“Installing smart meters is just another way to siphon off people’s hard-earned money. Instead of making the city smart through functional drainage systems and other essential infrastructure, the government is focusing on making life difficult for the common people,” he added.
Tony further appealed to the people to vote for Congress in the Assembly elections to free the region from what he described as a “government that protects the mafia.”