Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 5: All Jammu Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) today took a strong exception to the highly-objectionable statement of National Conference president and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and asked him not to politicize Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) for petty vote bank politics.
In a statement issued here, Anil Sharma, AJKPC State president said the NC president’s statement was an attempt “to blackmail the Government of India and pressurize the Apex Court” in the garb of Panchayat and Local Bodies elections.
“The statement has been made to blackmail the Government of India and pressurize the Supreme Court in the garb of Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies’ elections. The NC president should not forget that the Panchayats are non-political institutions and he should refrain from politicizing these institutions for his petty vote bank politics,” AJKPC leader said.
He said that the issue of Article 35-A, which has its genesis way back in 1954, was sub-judice in the Supreme Court and the NC president should not use Panchayats to influence the court of law over Article 35-A. “Let the Court decide on the issue,” Sharma said.
“The elections to Panchayats and Local Bodies should not be delayed at any cost. The NC president must understand that all problems, at grassroots level in J&K, are related to non-existence of institutions of local governance. The people are feeling alienated because of non-existence of Panchayats. The conduct of Panchayat elections will restore their faith in governance,” he said.
Moreover, the Central grants worth Rs 1,000 crore including Rs 700 crore for Panchayats and Rs 300 crore for urban local bodies, have been blocked due to non-availability of these institutions in the state, he said, adding “These elections will ensure the release of these funds which will be used for developmental activities at grassroots level.”
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