Jammu, May 18 (Scoop News) –Lambasting the present dispensation headed by National Conference for brazenly trampled democratic institutions in the state just to remain in power, patron of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said that Congress party was equally responsible for depriving people of Jammu and Kashmir of their legitimate democratic rights.
“It is a historical fact that the National Conference is notorious for undermining sanctity democratic institutions in the State but it is very unfortunate that Congress, which is part of the present government, is also playing dubious role as far strengthening of Panchayati Raj institutions or holding civic bodies elections in the State”, Mufti said while addressing an impressive public meeting in Mishriwalla area of Raipur-Domana assembly segment.
“National Conference is a stumbling block in decentralizing power at grass root level but role of Congress party is also not worth praising as far strengthening local self government in J&K is concerned”, he said.
Referring towards repeatedly statements being given by the Congress leaders on 73rdand 74th amendments in public, Mufti said that failure of the government to strengthen Panchayati Raj institutions in the State was a clear indication that Congress leaders were giving statements only for public consumption but internally they were also not serious in strengthening democracy at grass root level. “Had Congress leaders been serious in holding civic bodies elections or strengthen Panchayats, the government would have taken some concrete steps in this regard”, he observed and regretted that except giving statements in public Congress leaders have done nothing serious to convince their coalition partner to honour mandate of the people, who had turned out in large number to cast votes in Panchayat elections. “More than two years have been passed after completion of the Panchayat elections but till date government has failed to hold Block Development Councils (BDCs) elections”, he regretted, adding, “It is nothing but a mockery of the democracy and blatant dishonour of the mandate of the people by those who are at the helm of the affairs”.
“Not only the elected Panchayats have been denied powers, authority and funds to fulfill their obligations but even nothing has been done to have democratically elected urban local bodies in the state. Worse, the elections to local bodies have been delayed for over three years now on one pretext or the other”, he pointed out and mentioned that Congress could not escape from the responsibility of delaying urban local bodies elections because party representative was holding the portfolio of Urban and Housing Development since formation of this government in the year 2009.
Dubbing present dispensation as synonymous of corruption and miss-governance, PDP patron said corruption, nepotism and arbitrariness have been the hallmark of this coalition regime.
Mufti said that depriving citizens of their democratic rights and eroding sanctity of democratic institutions were the only noticeable achievements of the four and half year tenure of this regime.
PDP patron said that elections of urban local bodies including Jammu and Srinagar Municipal Corporations were scheduled to be held in the month of February 2010 but the government has been postponing these elections with one or other excuse.
“Even in the Governor’s Address during the last budget session of the Assembly in the year 2012, the government has promised to conduct local bodies elections in the month of April 2012”, he recalled, adding, “the way government is hesitating to conduct these elections substantiate our apprehensions that this regime is not interested in conducting local bodies elections”.