Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 6: All Jammu Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) today asked the ruling PDP-BJP coalition to make a formal request to the Governor NN Vohra for returning of controversial ‘The Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2016’ to rectify its blunder of imposing ‘black law’ on the rural people of the State.
The AJKPC, a frontline organisation of elected Sarpanches and Panches fighting for empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in Jammu and Kashmir, also declared that it would launch a State-wide agitation at Panchayat and block levels if the State Government do not make a request to the Governor for returning the Bill for reconsideration when it’s sent to him (Governor) for his assent.
“This is not the fight for election of a Sarpanch or Panch in a Panchayat but it is a decisive battle for restoration of democracy which has ruthlessly been hammered and crushed at the grass-roots level. The State Government has violated the fundamental rights of the people and made a direct assault on democratic ethos by passing the illogical Bill in both the Houses of State Legislature,” Anil Sharma, state president AJKPC told reporters here this morning.
AJKPC called an emergent meeting of Sarpanches from different parts of Jammu region, including executive body members of the organisation today to discuss the situation arising out of the amendment to the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Raj Act (PRA) 1989. The Amendment in the Act provides for Sarpanches being elected by the Panches instead of elected directly by the people in rural areas.
Mr Sharma said there was a great resentment among common masses against the State Government for its illogical move because they were feeling cheated and deprived. He made a fervent appeal to the ruling political parties not to politicize the PRIs for their vested interests.
He said instead of strengthening the democracy at grass-roots level and encouraging larger public participation in decision making at local levels, the PDP-BJP coalition has virtually strengthened the voices of separatists in Kashmir Valley who are against the participation of people in elections.
Mr Sharma also declared that a meeting of Sarpanches from Kashmir and Ladakh regions would be held next week to start State-wide agitation against the imposition of ‘black law’ on the people of the State. Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion included Bimla Devi, president Women Wing-AJKPC, Raj Kumar- provinical president (J), S Aminder Singh, Ashwani Sharma, Sanjeev Singh, Bindu Chowdhary, Mohan Singh, Ram Pal Sharma and others.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
