Govt holding Panchayat polls in haste: Cong

JKPP chief G A Mir addressing party convention at SKICC in Srinagar. -Excelsior/Shakeel
JKPP chief G A Mir addressing party convention at SKICC in Srinagar. -Excelsior/Shakeel

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 5: Opposition Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) today accused State Government led by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti of holding Panchayat polls in haste, saying time and weather are not conducive for these polls.
Addressing a convention of party leaders and workers here at Sher-e-Kashmir International Convocation Centre (SKICC), the JKPCC chief, Ghulam Ahmad Mir, said the Mehbooba Government is going for Panchayat polls without any preparations and warned her of ‘grave consequences’. “This (gathering at) SKICC warns you that it will cost you (Mehbooba) dearly if you by committing wrong thrust Panchayat elections on people and consequences would be grave for you”, he said.
Last month, State Government said that it is planning to hold Panchayat polls in State in the month of March. Mir however said the time and weather is not ripe for these and Chief Minister is going for elections without preparations “just as (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi went for demonetisation. “She has some pressure and… the way she is taking steps are against the interests of people”. Later speaking to reporters, Mir alleged that State Government is taking unconstitutional steps for holding Panchayat polls.
“The way Mehbooba Mufti’s Government is making pressure over holding of ULB (and Panchayat) elections by taking hasty steps for increasing wards and separating Panchayats should be done by the delimitation committee or the commission.
“But she is making all this done by single department which is totally unconstitutional. We condemn it and we will keep condemning it. But simultaneously if the Government thrusts Panchayat elections on people despite adopting wrong way then Congress party will fight by taking people along,” the State Congress chief said.
The PCC chief said Congress is committed to strengthen the PRIs and ULBs at all levels “but will not allow the coalition to undermine the authority of PRIs for personal political benefit”.
Mir, who is also former State minister, alleged that the incumbent coalition Government is indulging in ‘witch hunting’ at administrative level on party basis. “Down to ground, this Government has signaled that all (welfare) schemes of State and Centre are limited to PDP supporters only which has not happened so far in the history of the State…,” he said and claimed that officers in all departments have been asked to help PDP men only.
Mir said Congress has sought clarification from the Centre over the demonetization, which he claimed “was implemented without being discussed or approved by RBI”. He accused PM Modi of undermining and eroding the authority of RBI.

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