Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 8: Expressing his surprise over decision of the State Government to conduct elections to the four seats of Legislative Council from the quota of Panchayats, patron of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mufti Mohammad today said that this decision reflects myopic and narrow vision of the coalition regime headed by the National Conference.
Addressing a function, Mr Sayeed said at time when Panchayat members were agitating for the real empowerment of Panchayats, the Government has announced elections for the Legislative Council seats.
“Electing Legislative Council members from the quota of Panchayat is not a real issue but the main issue is delegating powers to the Panchayats to set up a vibrant Panchayati Raj system in the State to decentralize power at the grass root level”, he said and regretted that the Government has brazenly eroded sanctity of all democratic institutions in State.
Taking a dig at the Government, Mr Sayeed expressed surpirse that elections to constitute Block Development Councils (BDCs), which was the Constitutional obligation to set up a three tier Panchayat Raj system, were deferred without any reason but the Government was in a hurry to elect Legislative Council members from the quota of Panchayats.
“It seems that entire process of holding elections of the Panchayats was planned only to get four seats of Legislative Council and the Government has no intension to decentralize power at grass root level as par the spirit of Panchayati Raj system”, he said, adding, “the Government has sacrificed whole system and betrayed the people just for some seats of Legislative Council”.
“Government can go to any extent to sabotage democratic institutions just for petty political gains”, he said and recalled how the ruling coalition had used money to win Legislative Council elections in 2011.
The PDP patron said that it was a historic fact that ruling National Conference has always thrived by repression and by creating fear among the masses. “Presently there is fear psychosis among the Panchayat members and the National Conference wants to take benefit of the prevailing fear among Panchayat members”, he said.
The Mufti further said that during the last four years this regime has gradually undermined democratic institutions. He mentioned that elections of the Urban Local Bodies were due in the month of February 2010 but this Government has been postponing these elections without any reason. He said that faith of the people has badly shattered due to such deceit tactics of the National Conference -Congress regime.
General secretary of PDP Thakur Balbir Singh, Joginder Singh, zone president Basholi also spoke on the occasion.
Earlier, Rangil Singh alongwith large number of his supporters joined PDP. Rangil Singh, Sarpanch from Mahanpur said that he has decided to join PDP due to programme and policies of the party.
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