02/09/2026
Manjit Singh Slams BJP, NC for ‘Political Drama’, Says People Need Solutions, Not Street-Level Showdowns
Apni Party Provincial President asks BJP’s 29 MLAs and NC Government to stop blame game, focus on issues confronting people
Jammu, September 2: Provincial President of Jammu & Kashmir Apni Party, S. Manjit Singh, today came down heavily on both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National Conference (NC), accusing the two major political parties of engaging in a “political drama” and blame game instead of addressing the pressing issues confronting the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Reacting to the BJP’s gherao of the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar against the NC-led Government over what the party described as its failure to fulfil electoral promises, followed by the NC’s announcement to gherao BJP headquarters in Jammu and Srinagar over the delay in restoration of statehood, Manjit Singh said that the political confrontation between the two parties appeared more focused on scoring political points than providing relief to the common people.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir did not give their mandate to political parties to indulge in blame games, counter-protests and political theatrics. They voted with the expectation that their elected representatives would raise their concerns and work for solutions,” he said.
Manjit Singh questioned the performance of the 29 BJP MLAs, stating that the party, despite having a substantial representation in the Legislative Assembly, had failed to make its presence felt through meaningful intervention on issues directly affecting its constituents.
“BJP has 29 MLAs. What have they done collectively for the people who elected them? Instead of consistently taking up the genuine problems of their respective constituencies, they now appear to be looking for opportunities to make their political presence felt somehow,” he said.
He maintained that opposition politics should not be confined to protests and slogans, but should be reflected in sustained legislative intervention, public outreach and accountability.
“If the BJP is in opposition, it has every right to question the Government. But people want to know what concrete steps its MLAs have taken on unemployment, power and water problems, poor road connectivity, healthcare, education, rising costs and other issues affecting their daily lives,” Manjit Singh said.
At the same time, he criticised the NC-led Government for what he described as its tendency to postpone difficult questions and offer one excuse after another when people seek accountability for the promises made during the elections.
“The NC sought the people’s mandate by making tall promises and creating expectations among the people. Now, when the public asks where those promises stand, the Government appears to be buying time and shifting the responsibility from one issue to another,” he said.
Manjit Singh said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir had already demonstrated considerable patience and were waiting for tangible improvement in their day-to-day lives.
“People were shown stars and the sky during the election campaign. They were promised a better future, relief from their problems and effective governance. Today, they are asking for basic answers. They want to know when the promises will be implemented and when their genuine concerns will be addressed,” he said.
Taking a dig at the ongoing political confrontation between the BJP and NC, the Apni Party leader said that announcing counter-gheraos could not substitute for governance or constructive opposition.
“First BJP gheraos the Secretariat and then NC announces a gherao of BJP headquarters. This cycle of political confrontation will not solve a single problem of a common citizen. Neither will it create employment for our youth, improve healthcare facilities, restore damaged infrastructure, resolve power and water issues or provide relief to struggling families,” he remarked.
Manjit Singh urged both parties to rise above narrow political calculations and concentrate on their respective responsibilities.
He advised the NC Government, as the ruling dispensation, to stop delaying decisions on issues on which it had sought a mandate and instead provide a clear roadmap and timeline for fulfilling its commitments.
Similarly, he asked the BJP’s legislators to utilise their position as elected representatives and give sustained attention to the problems of their constituencies rather than relying primarily on political demonstrations.
“The ruling party and the opposition have different responsibilities, but both are accountable to the people. The Government has to govern and deliver, while the opposition has to question, expose shortcomings and offer constructive alternatives. Neither responsibility can be discharged through political drama alone,” he said.
The Apni Party Provincial President further cautioned that continued political sparring could deepen public frustration at a time when people were already facing multiple socio-economic challenges.
“Both BJP and NC should understand that the patience of the people is not unlimited. If genuine public issues continue to remain unattended while political parties remain busy fighting each other, people themselves may be compelled to come onto the streets to seek redressal of their legitimate demands,” he warned.
Manjit Singh called upon all elected representatives to regularly visit their constituencies, meet people, listen to their grievances and pursue their issues with the concerned authorities.
“The people do not need political spectacles. They need roads, electricity, drinking water, jobs, healthcare, quality education, better civic amenities and security of livelihood. They need representatives who remain accessible after elections and not only when another election approaches,” he said.
He appealed to both the ruling and opposition parties to use the Assembly, administrative institutions and democratic forums effectively to resolve issues rather than turning every political disagreement into a confrontation on the streets.
“The time has come for both BJP and NC to stop competing with each other in political theatrics and start competing in delivering for the people. Ultimately, their performance will be judged not by the number of gheraos they organise, but by the problems they solve and the commitments they fulfil,” Manjit Singh said.
