NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to launch a nationwide stir against what it perceives to be a "conspiracy" to force Hindus out of the Jammu region by intimidating them with terrorist acts.

"Dharnas" will be organised at all district headquarters by BJP units; batches of party workers will hold rallies and "dharnas" in Jammu from June 7 to 15; and human chains will be formed by Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha members at all State capitals from June 23 to 30.

The decision on an all India agitation on this issue was taken at a meeting of party office-bearers on May 13 as direct outcome of the grenade attack on a party demonstration in Jammu that killed two BJP activists. On Monday, the Lok Sabha discussed and then rejected an adjournment motion moved on this subject by the BJP. The Union Home Minister had pointed out forcefully that the number of terrorist incidents in that region around Doda "had come down drastically" and that during the regime of the National Democratic Alliance around 30 violent incidents had taken place. The BJP has been saying that there was a terrorist "conspiracy" to create an atmosphere of fear to force Hindus to leave the region, just as Kashmiri "pundits" left the Kashmir valley over a decade ago.

At a meeting of the party's parliamentary wing chaired by Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Tuesday morning, several MPs wanted the party to give priority to issues related to wheat imports, farmers' problems and price rise.

Party spokesperson V.K. Malhotra told presspersons that a lower price offered for wheat to Indian farmers led to a shortfall in procurement.

"This gave the Government the excuse to import wheat" that was "full of pesticides" and "unfit to eat." Mr. Malhotra said if Indian farmers had been offered the price India paid for imported wheat, the procurement would have been adequate and there would have been no need for imports.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail