Jammu, November 12 (Scoop News) – Accusing National Conference led coalition regime with de-establishing democratic institutions in the State, Peoples Democratic Party today said that intension of state government was not clear about holding Panchayat elections in the State.
Addressing a meeting at Ranjan in Nagrota assembly segment organized by Rashpal Singh Bittu, PDP leaders said that state government is not interested in conducting Panchyat elections because leaders of the ruling coalition are not interested in decentralizing decision making power at village level. PDP leaders recalled that this regime has already postponed civic bodies elections without any reason so there is no chance that this regime would conduct Panchayat elections.
Party leaders reminded that it was only during the regime of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed that elections of the civic bodies were conducted and democratic institutions were revived at local level. They said credit for strengthening democratic institutions in the state at local level goes to Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. They, however, regretted that present government headed by Omar Abdullah is not serious in decentralizing power.
“Despite all odds, PDP led regime had conducted local bodies elections to empower the people”, they pointed out but hasted to add that the present dispensation, with fascist tendency, has been trying to grab such institutions through undemocratic means.
They regretted that instead of further strengthening democratic institutions, National Conference led regime was desperately trying to capture all such institutions by unnecessary delaying elections.
Terming all exercise started by the government for conducting Panchayat elections as farce to befool the people, PDP leaders said that similarly exercises were started for the civic bodies elections but the same were postponed at the eleventh hour without any valid reason. Instead of strengthening democratic institutions at grass root level, this regime has been grab these institutions by illegal means.
“We will not allow this government to accomplish its nefarious designs of sabotaging democratic institutions”, they asserted and announced that PDP would oppose this move with tooth and nail.
PDP leaders said that it was historical fact that whenever National Conference attained power this party has sabotaged democratic institutions. They especially mentioned towards infamous 1987 assembly elections which were brazenly rigged by the same party.
PDP Vice President T S Bajwa, General Secretary Thakur Balbir Singh, Ved Mahajan, Falail Singh, Shanti Devi, Hussain Ali Bafa, district president Jammu rural Thakur Suram Singh and others addressed the function.