Jammu,December 21 (Scoop News) – Lashing out at the National Conference-Congress coalition government for its adamant posturing in going ahead with farcical election process to elect Municipal Corporation, Councils and Committees without implementing 74th amendment of the Indian Constitution, the BJP J&K Chief Spokesperson & National Executive Member Dr. Jitendra Singh has denounced the move as undemocratic, unconstitutional and unbecoming of public propriety.
Dr. Jitendra Singh alleged that the state government’s announcement of election to Urban bodies without implementing 74th amendment despite repeated reiterations from BJP smacks of arrogance on the part of the men at the helm and also exposes duplicity of the two ruling coalition parties. He reminded the Congress party leadership that implementation of 73rd and 74th amendments was part of their party’s election manifesto and yet they were maintaining a convenient silence only to keep the NC Chief Minister in good humour on directions from 10 Janpath.
To the National Confernece, Dr. Jitendra singh reminded that their leadership’s policy statement to give full empowerment to local bodies was reflected in the Governor’s address presented at the beginning of Legislature session in February 2009. He also took a dig to National Conference leadership saying that the party was very vociferous in demanding “Autonomy” for itself but was not ready to grant autonomy to local bodies.
Dr. Jitendra Singh made a serious charge that in the absence of 74th amendment, the farcical municipal elections were only designed to clandestinely obtain from Central government grants worth hundreds of crores in the name of local bodies and then misappropriate this amount as has been the practice in the past.
Presenting a well researched resume of the powers available to local bodies after 73rd and 74th amendments, Dr. Jitendra Singh explained in detail that this constitutional provision brought in 1990s aimed at making municipal bodies as “institutions of self-governance” without any financial or administrative control from Chief Minister’s office or state government but the irony is that without implementing 74th amendment the state government is claiming to provide funds and limited powers to local bodies as if it was doing some sort of charity.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also announced the BJP’s plan to launch a long-drawn movement for implementation of 73rd and 74th amendments at all levels—inside legislature, outside legtislature and on the streets. He said the party will also reach out to masses to educate them about what it meant to be deprived of grassroot empowerment in the absence of 73rd and 74th amendments.
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