*Slogans, counter slogans mark Panchayat Conference
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 6: AICC (I) vice president Rahul Gandhi today pitched for empowerment of Panchayati Raj institutions by implementing 73rd amendment of the Constitution of India and implementation of Food Security Act, which was passed in Parliament a couple of months back, in Jammu and Kashmir even as the Congress Panchayat Conference at MA Stadium, addressed among others by Rahul, was marred by protests from Sarpanchs, who said, they have been hearing assurances for the past three years while they have been given no powers by the State Government.
Rahul addressed the Sarpanchs for 16 minutes and was about to conclude his address when Prikshit Singh, Sarpanch of Bukhtiar Panchayat in Ramnagar tehsil of Udhampur district was on his feet from the crowd of about 5000 Panchayat members and other party leaders and workers and shouted that the Panchayat members had been listening assurances of their empowerment including implementation of 73rd amendment of the Constitution of India in Jammu and Kashmir for past three years but no forward movement has taken place.
“We have been listening these assurances for the past three years. We want to know when will we get these rights? When will we be empowered? We are brazenly being befooled. No one is listening to us. Our voice is being silenced,” Prikshit shouted as a number of Panchayat members stood up in his support.
Though Mr Gandhi wanted to listen to the Sarpanch, some other Panchayat members started countering Prikshit leading to confusion in the rally.
Rahul said: “if I don’t want to listen to you, then why I have come here. I have come to listen to you. Please go ahead”.
Prikshit said from his chair: “we are with you but we want powers. We have been denied powers. The State Government has made us toothless tigers. Neither the State Government is implementing 73rd amendment of the Constitution of India nor we were being given 10 lakh per Panchayat Halqa for development”.
Rahul assured the Panchayat members that he would make pressure on the Government for empowerment of Panchayats. “I assure you. I will keep my struggle. I will continue to come here till your and ours demand for empowerment of Panchayats is fulfilled,” he said.
However, Prikshit Singh joined by some other Sarpanchs started shouting: “we want justice”. There was also an attempt from Youth Congress president Shahnawaz Choudhary to counter Prikshit from other Sarpanchs from a small dais erected within the crowd, which had earlier been used by the Sarpanchs for address, that led to chaos in the rally and Rahul Gandhi along with AICC (I) general secretary Ambika Soni and PCC (I) chief Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz along with two MPs of Congress left the dais in a huff.
As Rahul and others left the stage at 1.08 pm after 16 minutes address of the AICC (I) vice president, which seemed to have been cut short by the disruption caused by the Sarpanch, there was free for all in the crowd as slogans and counter slogans rented the air.
“We want justice. The Government is fooling us,” rented the air from one side led by Prikshit Singh, who was joined by a number of other Panchayat members at the venue. The Congress members countered them with the slogan “Rahul Gandhi Zindabad”.
Sensing embarrassment, Ambika Soni again returned to the stage after about four minutes and assured the Panchayat members that their demand for 10 lakh worth funds for every Panchayat for development works would be conceded shortly.
“The file is pending with Union Finance Minister. Your demand is going to be met soon,” Ms Soni, who is AICC (I) general secretary, Incharge Jammu and Kashmir, said but her statement too failed to boost the morale of the Panchayat members, who said, they had come to listen from Rahul that he would either announce implementation of 73rd amendment of the Constitution of India and Rs 10 lakh worth grants to every CD Panchayat annually or withdrawal of support to National Conference Government.
“Here we got nothing and we are going empty handed as we were earlier,” the Sarpanchs remarked.
However, some of the Sarpanchs immediately came out in support of Rahul Gandhi and the Congress saying it was due to pressure of the Congress that Panchayat elections were held in the State and BDC elections were cancelled pending reservation for SCs/STs and women. They said some of the Sarpanchs have deliberately send a wrong message to Rahul Gandhi and “we want to clarify our position. We are sure that Rahul, Ghulam Nabi Azad (Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare) and Prof Soz would ensure implementation of 73rd amendment of the Constitution of India and empowerment of Panchayats in the State”.
Prikshit Singh, however, said that the Sarpanchs and Panchs were being treated by the State Government as nothing but `bhed bakris’ (cattle) and even for installation of a hand pump, the officers take orders from Ministers and MLAs.
“We have a `Nikami’ (worthless) Government in Jammu and Kashmir. The Sarpanchs and Panchs will expose this Government. Even Rahul Gandhi only spoke and refused to listen to us. For three years, we have been denied powers. Now when the elections are approaching, the Congress leaders have started playing publicity stunts. While MLAs have 50 security personnel, we have none though a number of us have been killed by the militants,” Prikshit told newspersons as a large number of Sarpanchs and Panchs echoed his views.
Even Panchayat Conference chairman Shafiq Mir, who had recently joined Congress, supported the demand of Prikshit Singh.
Speaking to the Excelsior at the venue of Panchayat Conference, Mr Mir said: “whatever he (Prikshit) said is justified.”
“His (Prikshit’s) way of protest is not justified but definitely his demand is justified. In fact, it is our demand. It is the demand of Panchayat Conference that the State Government should implement 73rd amendment of the Constitution of India, give Rs 10 lakh worth grants to Panchayats for development and empower the Panchayats,” Mr Mir said. However, he added, that the Sarpanch should have kept his point during address and not the way he did.
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi reached the MAM Stadium, the venue of Panchayat Conference, at 12.39 pm to a rousing reception from the Panchayat members, who shouted slogans like `Rahul Gandhi Zindabad’, `Rahul Gandhi Aage Barho, Hum Tumhare Saath Hain” and “Desh Ka Neta Kaisa Ho, Rahul Gandhi Jaisa Ho”.
Rahul started his speech at 12.52 pm amidst standing ovation from the Sarpanchs, Panchs and other Congress leaders and workers.
Pitching strongly for empowerment of Panchayati Raj institutions in Jammu and Kashmir, Rahul promised Sarpanchs and Panchs that his party will fight for their rights and build pressure on the State Government for it.
Gandhi’s two-day visit to the State beginning today is seen as a move by Congress to build pressure on coalition partner National Conference to incorporate certain provisions of the 73rd and 74th amendments of the Constitution on Panchayati Raj and Local Bodies.
Mr Gandhi assured the Panchayat members: “we will implement the 73rd amendment.”
“You will get your right. I will fight this battle for you. I will keep coming and keep mounting pressure. You have to fight this battle. We are with you. We, all of us together, will put pressure on the State Government. We are with you. This thing will happen cent percent,” he said.
Worthwhile to mention here that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has outrightly rejected the demand of Congress and other political parties for implementation of 73rd amendment of the Constitution of India. However, NC and Congress had agreed that some provisions of 73rd amendment would be identified and incorporated in the State Panchayati Raj Act for which an exercise was on.
Ambika Soni had while addressing the Congress convention on August 31 in Jammu set two months time frame for the Government to implement major provisions of 73rd amendment in Panchayati Raj Act. That deadline expired on October 31 but the Congress has maintained a complete silence over the deadline now.
Reminding the Panchayat members that it had taken almost one-and-a-half years to ensure passage of the new Land Acquisition Bill, he said this will also eventually happen “not easily” but only after people fight for it.
Highlighting right-based schemes like MNREGA, RTI and Food Security Act brought by Congress led UPA Government, the Congress Vice President said these programmes can’t be implemented without Panchayati Raj and without Sarpanchs as “in order to implement these programmes, the leadership should be in villages.”
“This is the politics of the future and this is what will happen in Jammu and Kashmir as well. I want to assure you that in the time to come, you will get these rights. In 21st century, the Panchayats and the Local Bodies will have to be empowered.
“Decisions will be taken in villages in the 21st century. If we have to change Jammu and Kashmir, then first of all we will have to empower the leaders of Panchayats and Local Bodies. There is no other way to empower you if you have to run this State because MLAs, MPs cannot do what you can do. They don’t have the kind of knowledge about villages that you have,” Gandhi said addressing the Panchayat members.
The issue of incorporating 73rd and 74th amendments of the Constitution in the State’s Panchayati Raj Act has been a bone of contention between the two parties for sometime.
Amid complaints from the gathering of Sarpanchs and Panchs that no body listens to their problems, the Congress Vice President said: “had I not wanted to listen to you, there was no need for me to come here. I have come here because I want to listen to you.”
He said that he will keep building pressure till the issue is not resolved.
“We want to give the same powers, strength to Panchs and Sarpanchs in Jammu and Kashmir what we are providing to them in other States. If you go to Kerala, Tamil Nadu, you will find politics interesting there because the Sarpanchs have powers there. The district plans are made, local participation happens, meetings are held and people’s views come out.
“And this is the future of politics. This will also happen in Jammu and Kashmir. I want to assure you that in coming time, you will get the rights. As long as you don’t get, I will keep coming here. I will keep building the pressure, till this is not resolved,” Rahul said.
He also briefly touched on the issue of refugees in the State.
“There is an issue of refugees. I know they feel pain. I also want to tell them that the Congress party will fight their battle. We will do whatever we can do for the refugees,” he said.
Maintaining that Congress is with the people of the State, Mr Gandhi said: “whatever we can do for Jammu and Kashmir, we are ready to do that. I want that people of the State are empowered. They get rights.”
The Congress vice president said that he has talked to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah about the implementation of Food Security Act in Jammu and Kashmir.
“He (Omar) had concerns that very little foodgrain will be available. I told him that the same problem was projected by Kerala and Tamil Nadu and the Government of Delhi (Central Government) helped them and we are going to help you in the same manner as we did to them (Kerala and Tamil Nadu).
“Right to Food should be implemented here and if there is any deficiency, we will fulfill it because we want that Jammu and Kashmir should also get whatever benefits the UPA Government gives to other States— be it Right to Food, Land Acquisition and Panchayati Raj,” Mr Gandhi said.
The Congress vice president also talked at length about the work being done by UPA for employment related training to youth and women in Jammu and Kashmir and noted “we are trying to take these things forward”. He also mentioned Centrally sponsored `Himayat’ and `Udaan’ schemes and told the gathering that a number of unemployed youths were being benefited from them.
Rahul said the Congress was focusing on three major issues in Jammu and Kashmir including grant of powers and responsibilities to Sarpanchs, Panchs and Local Body leaders, youth training and generating employment opportunities and empowerment of women, whom he described as `Reed Ki Haddi’ (backbone) of the State.
He said a number of women have benefited from Self Help Groups and Bank tie-ups in the State.
Before the arrival of Rahul Gandhi, the stage was managed by PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Sham Lal Sharma and Housing Minister Raman Bhalla.
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi reached Jammu Airport in a chartered plane along with Ambika Soni from New Delhi at 11.55 am. He was received at the Airport among others by Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, Congress MPs and Congress Ministers besides NC provincial president Devender Singh Rana and Surjit Singh Slathia.
He straightway drove to PCC (I) Headquarters at Shaheedhi Chowk where he inter-acted with party leaders and workers for about 20 minutes. He called upon the party leaders to stop groupism in the interest of the party. He added that he has also set right the groupism in Haryana Congress and wouldn’t tolerate any such groupism in Jammu and Kashmir.
He reportedly said that the candidates, who had lost the elections twice from an Assembly seat, wouldn’t be repeated in the coming Assembly polls next year. He also said that the leaders, who had left the party can rejoin but shouldn’t expect the party mandate in the election. He stressed for discipline and unity in the party to win Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
In her brief address to Panchayat Conference, Ambika Soni said Rahul Gandhi was aware of all problems and issues of the Panchayat members and he would ensure that they get their due rights.
Ms Soni said the Congress Ministers and MPs visited the borders during Pakistan shelling and firing and briefed UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
PCC (I) chief Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz said Congress has always strived to strengthen Panchayats.
“Very soon the Sarpanchs and Panchs would get powers to serve the people,” he said, adding that Rahul Gandhi has been taking keen interest in empowerment of Panchayats.
Sidelights
l A good number of Congress leaders and workers had joined the Panchayat Conference posing themselves as Sarpanchs and Panchs. Congress leaders said since they had put up 4400 chairs, it was not possible to manage such a large number of Panchayat members and, therefore, some Congress activists also joined the Conference.
l The media persons were the worst victims of Jammu based Information Department officers and Congress Media Cell as they were kept in dark till last moment on being allowed entry in the Panchayat Conference. Though it was purely a Congress function, the Information Department told majority of reporters to reach Press Club at 11 am in just half an hour’s notice.
l A number of scribes had to travel standing in just two vehicles arranged to transport them from Press Club to MA Stadium, the venue of Panchayat Conference, by the Information Department. At the Stadium, no sitting arrangement had been made for the media, which had to cover the function by sitting with the Panchayat members. A number of them covered the event standing.
l The media persons expressed strong resentment against the Information Department officials of Jammu and Congress Media Cell and warned them not to take press corps for granted as they would be forced to boycott their functions if proper arrangements were not made for them in future. As far as mismanagement of Information Department was concerned, the media persons would take up the matter with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who holds the charge of the Department.
l Rahul Gandhi entered the MAM Stadium at 12.39 pm amidst massive applause from the Panchayat members, who gave him a standing ovation.
l However, much to the surprise of Panchayat members, none of them was allowed to speak in the presence of Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders at dais including AICC (I) general secretary, Incharge Jammu and Kashmir Ambika Soni though the event had been named Panchayat Conference.
l All Sarpanchs and Panchs spoke before the arrival of Rahul Gandhi. A separate stage had been created for the address of Panchayat members while the main stage from where Rahul addressed the gathering was managed by PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Sham Lal Sharma and Housing Minister Raman Bhalla.
l Even Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Act Vikar Rasool was also asked to speak from the stage from where the Panchayat members were addressing the gathering.
l Rahul in his 16 minutes speech made no mention of BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi or any other major issues including Kashmir problem but confined his speech to 73rd Amendment, Food Security Act and refugees etc.
l Almost all Sarpanchs and Panchs including some women, who spoke, strongly criticised the State Government for keeping the Panchayats completely powerless.
l “We have no powers. We can’t construct even a lane or a drain. We were promised 10 lakh funds per Panchayat for development about one and a half years back. Not a single penny has come till date. We are very much dejected from this Government,” most of the Sarpanchs said. Some of them even castigated the Congress for its failure to empower the Panchayats.
l After the rally, the Panchayat members could be seen returning dejectedly. “We have been hearing these assurances, which we again heard today, for a long time now,” most of them said.
l “Now we are being told that there were no plan funds for Sarpanchs and Panchs. In March, we will be told that your plan has lapsed. This is ridiculous,” said one of the lady Sarpanchs.
l As Sham Lal Sharma said that the Panchayat members should be thankful to Rahul Gandhi for announcing Rs 10 lakh worth grants to every Panchayat Halqa, all Sarpanchs and Panchs shouted: “we have not received a single penny so far”.
l After the address of Sarpanchs and Panchs, Mr Sharma asked Deputy CLP leader and former Minister Mohammad Sharief Niaz to raise pro- Rahul slogans to keep the crowd engaged. As Mr Niaz started addressing the crowd targeting Mr Modi and discussing other election related issues, Mr Sharma again asked him to continue slogans along with his speech so that the Panchayat members were kept charged. Mr Niaz insisted that he would go ahead with his speech and then raise the slogans. “ My speech will keep the participants charged,” he remarked.
l During his address, Mr Niaz, while referring to Modi, said: “Woh Gareeb Paida Huye, Unko Gareeb Hi Rahna Chahiye Tha (he was born poor and he should have stayed poor)”. A scribe was heard saying whether the poor has no right to become rich. Mr Modi had been saying that he had run a tea stall in his childhood.
l Without naming Mr Modi or Rahul Gandhi, Mr Niaz said `Shehzada’ will become the Prime Minister. It may be mentioned that Mr Modi has been using the word `Shehzada’ for Rahul to which the Congress had taken strong exception.
l Police had made tight security arrangements for the Panchayat Conference. Police officers from other areas of Jammu had also been deployed at the venue. Several roads in the City witnessed massive traffic jam during the day till 3 pm.
l Rahul Gandhi, who had landed in chartered plane along with Ambika Soni at 11.50 am, left for Srinagar at 3.40 pm in the same plane.
l While Rahul Gandhi addressed the Conference for 16 minutes, Ambika Soni made just two minutes address and Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz for four minutes.
l Excepting two Congress MPs, no senior party leaders including Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand were allowed to share the stage with Rahul Gandhi. Tara Chand and other Ministers and senior party leaders were sitting with the Sarpanchs and Panchs
l The security personnel were seen frisking Sarpanchs and Panchs and other Congress workers before letting them in to MAM Stadium very minutely. No black cloth including socks and handkerchiefs were allowed inside. The Panchayat members wearing black socks were asked to take them off before going inside.
l The organisors had taken off some chairs from the venue but kept them inside the MA Stadium, which were visible to all the visitors.
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