08/09/2026
тАШPromises remain on paper, burden falls on peopleтАЩ: Manjit Singh
Flags power tariff hike, doctor shortage, garbage crisis, poor roads and intern doctorsтАЩ stipend
Vijaypur, September 8: Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) Provincial President S. Manjit Singh today led an impressive protest rally in Vijaypur, launching a sharp political attack on the NC-led government headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over what he described as the continued neglect of pressing public issues and failure to deliver on major commitments made to the people.
The protest brought together party workers and local residents who raised slogans against the governments at the Centre and in J&K and highlighted issues directly affecting the daily lives of common people. Protesters carrying party flags and placards demanded immediate action on the power tariff hike, shortage of doctors, deteriorating roads, mounting garbage and the failure to address employment and other economic concerns.
Addressing the protesters, Manjit Singh said the 7 per cent enhancement in power tariff has come at a time when people were expecting relief, not an additional financial burden. He questioned the rationale behind increasing electricity charges when the National Conference had promised 200 units of free electricity to consumers. He said the gap between promises and delivery was becoming increasingly visible and was adding to public frustration.
He also targeted the government over other commitments, including the promise of free 12 LPG cylinders, creation of one lakh jobs in a year and regularization of daily wagers. Manjit Singh said these commitments had generated considerable expectations among households, unemployed youth and workers, but the lack of visible progress had left many sections of society disappointed.тАЬThe common man is facing rising household expenses, unemployment and uncertainty, yet instead of providing relief, the government has increased the burden of electricity bills. The people have every right to ask when the promises made to them will be fulfilled,тАЭ Manjit Singh said.
The JKAP leader also raised the serious sanitation crisis in Vijaypur,Ramgarh, Bari Brahamana Municipalities and adjoining areas, saying that heaps of uncollected garbage scattered along roads and streets have become a potential public-health hazard.He said sanitation workers of Vijaypur Municipality, Ramgarh Municipality, Bari Brahmana Municipality and Samba Municipality are on strike over their demands, but the government cannot allow the resulting sanitation crisis to continue indefinitely.
Manjit Singh warned that prolonged accumulation of garbage in residential and commercial areas could create unhygienic conditions and increase the risk of infectious diseases, particularly with waste exposed on roads and near populated areas. He urged the administration to intervene immediately, resolve the employees' genuine grievances and restore sanitation services without further delay.The deteriorating healthcare infrastructure in the region was another major issue highlighted during the protest. Manjit Singh expressed concern over the shortage and non-deployment of doctors at Vijaypur Hospital, Ramgarh Hospital, Bari Brahmana Hospital and the ESIC Hospital.
He alleged that whenever doctors are transferred from these institutions, fresh deployments are not made in time, resulting in serious gaps in healthcare services. He further questioned reports of doctors being posted elsewhere while their salaries continue to be drawn against these institutions, calling for a transparent verification of postings and attendance.
According to Manjit Singh, the consequences are being borne directly by patients, particularly poor and middle-class families who are compelled to travel to hospitals in Jammu and even AIIMS for treatment that should ideally be available closer to their homes.He said unnecessary referrals increase the financial and emotional burden on patients, besides putting additional pressure on already crowded tertiary-care hospitals in Jammu.
The protest also drew attention to the poor condition of prominent roads in Vijaypur and surrounding areas. Manjit Singh said roads riddled with potholes are not merely an inconvenience but pose serious risks to motorists, pedestrians, schoolchildren and emergency vehicles.He demanded immediate repairs of damaged stretches and said road maintenance should be treated as an essential public service rather than a seasonal exercise undertaken only after complaints become politically inconvenient.
Turning his criticism towards the BJP-led government at the Centre, Manjit Singh said the people are struggling with high inflation, rising household expenses and inadequate employment opportunities. He questioned what he termed the failure of the government to provide sufficient relief to ordinary families and create meaningful employment avenues for the youth.He also criticised the 29 BJP MLAs in J&K, alleging that they have failed to effectively raise burning public issues and hold the administration accountable.тАЬPeople elect representatives to become their voice, not silent spectators. Whether it is electricity, healthcare, sanitation, roads, unemployment or inflation, the public expects its elected representatives to speak firmly and seek answers,тАЭ he said.
Following the protest, Manjit Singh, along with the protesting party workers, submitted a memorandum to the SDM Vijaypur, seeking immediate intervention on the issues raised during the demonstration.The JKAP Provincial President demanded that the administration take the matters on priority and initiate concrete measures rather than limiting the response to assurances.
He warned that if the genuine grievances of the people remain unaddressed, the Apni Party would intensify its agitation and launch a more vigorous protest. He also warned of blocking the National Highway if the authorities fail to act within a reasonable timeframe, making it clear that the party would not remain silent over what it termed persistent administrative neglect.
Manjit Singh also strongly raised the issue of intern doctors who are presently receiving only around Rs 12,000 per month as stipend, despite performing demanding duties in hospitals and contributing significantly to patient care. He supported the internsтАЩ demand for enhancement of the stipend to Rs 30,000 per month, in line with the level of remuneration available to medical interns in several other parts of the country. He said that such a meagre stipend does not adequately recognise the workload, responsibilities and long working hours of young doctors, particularly those serving in emergency and hospital duties. He urged the J&K Government to address the issue on priority and ensure a fair and dignified stipend to medical interns. The demand has gained urgency as MBBS and BDS interns across J&K have recently intensified their agitation over the low stipend.
Prominent among those present on the occasion included District President Samba Raman Thappa, spokesman Sahil Bharti, Provincial Secretary and Incharge Trade Wing Ajaz Kazmi, Youth Provincial President Vishal Narayana, District Senior Vice President Neelam Gupta, District Secretary Shikha Bhardwaj, Parmandal Block President Manzoor Hussain, Bari Brahmana Block President Babu Ram Bhagat, former Sarpanch Joginder Lal and District Youth President Mangat Ram, besides a large number of party workers and supporters.
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