SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Friday launched a sharp attack on the BJP, calling it “Bharat Ki Sabse Badi Jhoothi Party” (India’s biggest liar party) and accusing it of damaging the country’s reputation through what he described as falsehoods.
Reacting to BJP allegations that development has suffered in Jammu and Kashmir under the elected government, Choudhary said he had no intention of responding to what he termed the claims of “liars”. “What does BJP stand for? ‘Bharat Ki Sabse Badi Jhoothi Party’. They continuously tarnish India’s name through their lies, so there is no point in responding to their claims,” he told reporters in Srinagar.
Choudhary, who joined the National Conference in 2023 after leaving the BJP, also questioned BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma over the posting of senior IAS and IPS officers from Jammu and Kashmir outside the Union Territory. He asked why local officers were not being given opportunities to serve in senior positions within J&K and challenged Sharma to explain how many officers had been transferred outside the region over the years.
“Do we not have local IPS officers from Kashmir or Jammu capable of serving as Director General? They have been sent outside. Why does Sunil Sharma remain silent on this?” Choudhary asked, also questioning the transfer of IAS officers and arguing that officers belonging to the region should be considered for key appointments in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Deputy Chief Minister also raised the issue of Jammu University’s standing, recalling a period when Amitabh Mattoo, a Kashmiri Pandit, served as its Vice-Chancellor. He said the university’s ranking had subsequently fallen below that of private universities, while stressing that his remarks were not directed at the capabilities of the present Vice-Chancellor. Choudhary questioned why qualified local professors were not being considered for Vice-Chancellor positions in universities across the region.
On the issue of development, Choudhary said people were aware of the work being undertaken by the present administration and challenged the BJP leadership to engage in a direct debate. He accused the BJP of following a “hit and run” strategy and described the party’s performance in Jammu and Kashmir as a “flop show”.
Seeking to counter the BJP’s criticism on development, Choudhary urged people to compare the road connectivity achieved under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) by the present government with that of the previous administration. He also referred to NABARD-funded roads and said the performance of the two governments should be compared on the basis of actual figures and records.
“Our government was formed in 2024; file an RTI and check how many PMGSY roads were constructed under us compared to what they accomplished in 12 years. Compare the NABARD roads we sanctioned against theirs, and I am currently only discussing the PWD sector,” he said.
On Congress criticism of the National Conference over the playing of the full national song at the inauguration of the International Film Festival, Choudhary said an unnecessary controversy had been created over the issue.
