No alternative to elected Govt in J&K: Manjit Singh

Excelsior Correspondent
VIJAYPUR (Samba), Nov 1: Asserting that there is no alternative to an elected Govt, the Apni Party Provincial president for Jammu and former Minister Manjit Singh today demanded restoration of democratic system in the Jammu and Kashmir.
Expressing concern over the growing public issues, Singh said the delay in holding Panchayati Raj, Urban Local Body and Assembly elections in J&K is unacceptable.
“The elections were delayed without citing concrete reasons. On the ground, the people want the elections to be held so that the public representatives can ensure all round development and employment for the youth,” he said while addressing a party at Vijaypur.
Singh expressed concern over the delay in PRI, ULB and Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir that has generated a feeling of alienation among the masses in both the regions. “The authorities are taking decisions unilaterally, not consulting the public representatives. These decisions have often led to resentment because of anti-people policies,” he said, while citing the example of Jammu-Pathankot highway which is in shabby condition from Vijaypur to Bari Brahmana.
He said the highway poses a serious threat to the commuters and locals because the work is in progress in an unplanned and unscientific manner that needs to be reviewed and the administration must investigate the concerns of the people regarding the ongoing working of the highway by NHAI.
“The NHAI work causes long traffic jams and people have to wait for hours together to reach from one place to another from Vijaypur to Bari Brahmana,” he added.
“The construction apparently handed over to the inexperienced contractors which is causing disturbance and threat to the lives of the commuters,” he alleged.
Singh said the public issues can be resolved by an elected Govt for which the Assembly elections should be held and Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir should be restored, he added.
“There is resentment among the people in absence of an elected Govt and other elected institutions leaving them unrepresented in the Govt’s decision making. The authorities work in a wayward manner, which has irked the people,” he said.
Prominent among those who were present in the meeting include District president Samba, Raman Thappa, ST president, Saleem Aalam Choudhary, Capt. Joginder, Lovely Mangol and others.