LG cancels address as members boycott RDD’s function, protest outside
*All political parties join hands, Raina writes to Sinha for review of decision
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 9: In a virtual revolt against the Warrant of Precedence issued yesterday, almost all District Development Council (DDC) chairpersons, vice chairpersons and members have threatened to resign en masse if the Government fails to revise the protocol as cutting across their political affiliation all DDC members resorted to protests outside the Jammu Convention Centre after which Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha cancelled his address to the members at two days ‘Capacity Building Programme’ for the Council members organized by the Rural Development Department.
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Irked over the Government order “degrading” protocol of chairpersons at par with Divisional Commissioners/IGP much below even MLAs, vice chairpersons equal to the Vice Chancellor and Members at bottom of the Warrant of Precedence, the DDC chairpersons, vice chairpersons and members who had gathered at Jammu Convention Centre this morning for address of the Lieutenant Governor staged dharna at lawns of the Centre and refused to go inside.
However, most of them made it clear that they are not against the Lieutenant Governor but the bureaucrats who have intentionally issued the Warrant of Precedence which degraded the third-tier of Panchayati Raj System established for the first time in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
DDC chairpersons, vice persons and members from all political parties including BJP, National Conference, PDP, Congress, People’s Conference, CPM and Independents among others joined the protest. Some of them could be heard shouting slogans against the bureaucrats for coming up with a protocol which rendered them just like clerks.
The two-day `Capacity Building Programme’ was cancelled following protests by the DDC members and the Lieutenant Governor didn’t attend it.
After day-long protest, there was no response from the Government to establish any communication with the protesting DDC members who comprised all political parties and were united in their demand for rescinding the protocol released yesterday and issuing it afresh granting Cabinet Minister status to the DDC chairpersons, Minister of State to vice chairpersons and close to MLA to the members.
Sources said all DDC members from entire Jammu and Kashmir who had come here to attend two days programme organized by the Rural Development Department have called fresh meeting at Press Club Jammu at 11.30 am and if there is no response from the Government even by then they would resign en masse as the DDC chairpersons, vice chairpersons and members.
Significantly, insiders said, all chairpersons, vice chairpersons and members belonging to different political parties and Independents were unanimous in their demand for revision of the protocol. However, most of them asserted that honorarium isn’t an issue for them and they don’t want it but where it is the question of their respect and dignity there can be no compromise on it.
DDC Jammu chairperson Bharat Bushan said though none from the Government or the administration came to meet them at dharna venue they have raised their demands through media that the chairpersons should be given the status of Cabinet Ministers, vice chairpersons the rank of Minister of State and members close to the MLA and the concept of keeping District Development and Planning Board above the elected DDC should be shelved.
“The DDC is an elected institution. The nominated Planning Board can’t be above it. There can be no parallel system,” Bushan said, adding all DDC chairpersons, vice chairpersons and members were united over their demand and if it is not accepted all of them will resign tomorrow en masse.
National Conference leader and Ramban DDC chairperson Dr Shamshad Shan said: “We all are one on the issue. It’s not the question of salary or honorarium but our dignity, respect and protocol which has been denied to us by the present Government. We don’t need any honorarium. Just give us Re 1 but give us due status which we deserved. Don’t lower our dignity. We are not Government employees but public representatives and have to work for the people and address their issues which can’t be done unless we are given adequate powers”.
National Conference chairperson of DDC Kishtwar Puja Thakur said all DDC chairpersons, vice chairpersons and members of different political parties are united on the issue of protocol.
“If we have no powers to address the issues of our people, it is better for us to resign. And, we are going to resign en masse tomorrow if our demands are not met by then,” Thakur said.
Kathua DDC chairman and BJP leader Col (Retired) Mahan Singh said the DDC chairpersons, vice chairpersons and members all are feeling “cheated and ditched”.
“The bureaucracy has scuttled the process of empowerment of DDCs to strengthen democracy at grass-root level. We are going to resign en masse tomorrow if our demands are not accepted,” Singh said.
Prominent political leader and Independent DDC member from Suchetgarh Taranjit Singh Tony said the bureaucrats have misled the Government in devising the protocol.
“In the Union Territory of Ladakh Hill Council Chairman has the status of Cabinet Minister, vice chairman the rank of Minister of State and Executive Councilors are designated as Deputy Ministers. Ladakh was till one and half year back the part of Jammu and Kashmir. How there can be two laws in the two Union Territories,?” Tony asked and demanded that due protocol should be given immediately to the DDC chairpersons, vice chairpersons and members otherwise all of them have decided to submit their resignations to the Government tomorrow.
“What we will do without power. There is no fun of being the DDC member if we can’t address issues of the people who have elected us,” Tony said.
DDC chairperson from Budgam Nazir Ahmad Khan said the Government has played with their honour by lowering their status and left them red faced before their electorate.
“The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) chairpersons are conferred with the Cabinet status and members are enjoying MoS status. The Srinagar and Jammu Mayors also enjoy the MoS status, while as we are representing the entire district and given a status of an Administrative Secretary,” Khan said.
He added that the Government issued the order of precedence deliberately ahead of the training programme to put a seal on it.
“We will not accept it…The situation in Kashmir is grave where we have to live under constant threat and accompany by our Personal Security Officers (PSOs) and feed them as well. We spend Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 per day,” he said, adding this is not an issue of any party but “we have joined hands to protect our honour”.
Another DDC chairperson Ghulam Mustafa Khan said, “If we were not given our rights, how come we protect the rights of our people who have voted for us. The Government has disgraced us and by this order of precedence conveyed a message that we have no importance which is not acceptable to us.”
He said the monthly honorarium announced by the Government would encourage corruption.
Extending support to agitating District Development Council (DDC) members, BJP president Ravinder Raina today wrote a letter to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha urging him to ensure they have adequate powers to mobilize Government departments and address public grievances.
“The anger and resentment shown by the DDC members are genuine. They were elected by the people, and if they do not get adequate powers and the befitting protocol, they will not get the respect and will not be heard during their visit to the Civil Secretariat, Mini Secretariat and Deputy Commissioner’s office,” Raina said.
He added that the order of precedence issued by the administration is not only an insult to the elected members but also to the people in general.
“The Lt Governor has always favoured strengthening the democratic institutions and won acclaims by holding the maiden DDC elections in the Union Territory, but it is the bureaucracy which has played the spoilsport and conspired (against the DDC members),” Raina said.
He urged the Lt Governor to consider the demands of the DDC members with an open heart.
“DDC chairpersons should at least be given the status of Minister of State, vice-chairpersons Deputy Ministers and the members should be equivalent to Commissioner Secretaries. Block Development Council (BDC) chairpersons should also be kept above District Development Commissioners so that these elected grassroot level representatives can perform their duties to the satisfaction of the people by mobilizing Government departments and address the grievances of the public by holding village-level meetings,” the BJP president said.
Meanwhile, Peoples Conference president and former Minister Sajjad Lone also expressed disappointment over the lowering of status of the DDC chairpersons, vice-chairpersons and members, and blamed the bureaucrats.
“DDC protocol powers disappointment – humiliation. Problem is the new stakeholder created by the Union Govt post August 5- BUREAUCRAT Ever powerful. He/she will never facilitate democracy. Will c anybody elected by people as a threat. This is simple analysis. And no rocket science,” Lone wrote on twitter.
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