Panchs, sarpanchs protest, demand empowerment of Panchayats

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, June 12: To lodge their protest against the delaying tactics adopted by State Government in empowerment of Panchayats in the State by not implementing the 73rd and 74th amendment of Indian Constitution in to hundreds of Panchs and Sarpanchs took out a protest march from BJP Head quarters to Civil Secretariat where besides the torching of the effigies of the Coalition Government a massive demonstration was held by them in support of their demands.
The protest rally was convened by BJP Panchayati Raj Cell led by its convener Baldev Singh Billowria. The protestors with banners and pla –cards in their hands were raising slogans demanding empowerment of Panchayats in the State.
Three BJP, MLAs, Jugal Kishore Sharma, Ch. Sukhnandan and Shyam Choudhary also participated in the dharna as the panchs and sarpanchs were from their constituencies.
Addressing the demonstrators Jugal Kishore Sharma accused the State Government of totally ignoring the panchayats and their elected representatives during last one year. The functioning of democratic Government is meaningless until and unless the basic institutes of democracy are empowered, he added.
He accused the Coalition Government of behaving in an arbitrary manner so for as empowerment of panchs and Sarpanchs is concerned and termed the State Act an eye wash just to hoodwink the people as there is world difference between the Central Act and State Act.
Sharma alleged that repeated assurances given by the Government in this regard have proved hollow. He said most of the States have implemented the Constitutional 73rd amendment but in J&K the people are being deprived of this right.
Ch Sukhnandan said that the Government was sleeping over the issue and it appears that it is not interested in empowering the Panchayats to strengthen basic institutes of democracy.
Shyam Choudhary said that all the hopes of people in rural areas who enmass participated in the Panchayat elections by casting their vote to see the development of their areas have dashed to ground.
The Sarpanchs, Naib-Sarpanchs and Panchs from villages of Gangochak, Jagti, Chakroi, Babliana, Kanyala, Biaspur, Panj Grain, Nai Basti, Gundala, Agrachak, Rakh Gaddigarh, Palli, Saharan, Sai Kalan, Kaluchak, Surinsar, Jallochak, Seora, Chanduchak, Jajjar Kotli, Gangwa Parwah, Bamyal, Joda, Marh, Karloop, Nagrota, Badsu, Trilokpur, Flora and other Panchayats of Jammu province.