Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, July 14: While lauding the decision of the Governor’s Administration to conduct direct elections of Sarpanches, senior Congress leader and Member of the Legislative Council (MLC), Thakur Balbir Singh today said that previous PDP-BJP dispensation had brazenly bulldozed all the democratic institutions in the State just to accomplish its nefarious designs.
“BJP is notorious for undermining sanctity of democratic institutions in the country but it is very unfortunate that PDP, which was part of the present Government, had also played dubious role.” Singh said and added that PDP and BJP were equally responsible for depriving people of Jammu and Kashmir of their legitimate democratic rights.
Addressing a party function at Nagri Parol in Kathua today, Balbir Singh assured people that Congress would strengthen democratic institutions in the State to delegate power at grass-root level. He reminded the gathering that it was during the regime of late Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi that revolutionary 73rd and 74th amendments of the Constitution of India were made to make urban and rural local bodies strengthen.
Singh regretted that previous PDP-BJP regime has eroded and undermined all prestigious democratic institutions, be it Assembly, local bodies or Panchayati Raj Institutions.
“Previous regime had delayed Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies elections without any reason”, he said and added that indifferent attitude to give powers to the Panchayats and inordinate delay in conducting civic bodies’ election reflect dictatorial mindset of the previous dispensation.
“PDP-BJP had backstabbed elected Panchayat members by announcing indirect elections of the Sarpanches”, he said but lauded Governor for reverting that undemocratic decisions of the previous regime.
Former MLA Girdhari Lal Chalotra, Pankaj Dogra and others also spoke on the occasion.
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