JK Youth Congress staged protests in Ganderbal & Kargil

Srinagar/Kargil,August 25 (Scoop News) – Jammu and Kashmir state Youth Congress in its stride for empowerment of Panchayats, today held a procession march at Ganderbal, the home constituency of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

The hundreds of activist of youth Congress assembled at main chowk Ganderbal and started march towards Deputy Commissioner’s office and submitted a memorandum in which it was demanded that powers to Panchayats should be granted by bringing 73rd and 74th Amendment to the State Panchayat Raj Act.

Chetan Chouhan-Secretary IYC, incharge J&K affairs led the march. PYC Vice President Pranav Shagotra, PYC General Secretary S.Manjeet Singh Jatt (incharge srinagar Lok sabha), Amir Rasool-President Lok Sabha Constituency Srinagar, Firdous Ahmed Malik-Vice President Lok Sabha Constituency, Muzzafar Ahmed Parrey-President Kangan Assembly Constituency and Mehraj Ahmed-President Eid Gah Constituency , Showkat gen secy Ganderbal Assembly,were the prominent in procession march, besides many Sarpanches and Panches have also participated.

Speaking on the occasion Chetan Chauhan asked to Youth Congress activists to go to the people at the grass root level and make them aware about the policies and programmes of the Congress party. Powers to the Panchayats is the policy of Congress party, therefore PYC is organizing various rallies and marches in support of their demand. Panchayats without powers are teethless and defunct, he added.

Pranav Shagotra said that a strong Panchayati Raj System was the dream of Late Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi who brought 73rd and 74th Amendment in the Panchayati Raj Act through which maximum powers were given to the Panchayats throughout the country. But it was unfortunate that these acts were not brought in Jammu and Kashmir even today. He demanded that Panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir should be empowered by bringing 73rd and 74th Amendment in the Panchayati Raj Act.

S.Manjit Singh Jatt said that Panchayats are he basic institutions of democracy and AICC General Secretary incharge Youth Congress Shri Rahul Gandhi desires to strengthen these institutions in all parts of the Country. Adding that Youth Congress will remain on forefront in this noble cause.

In Kargil, the Youth Congress workers along with Panches and Sarpanches, under the Leadership of State Youth Congress President Mohammad Shahnawaz Choudhary, also staged a Protest march From Conference Hall towards D C office, to press for more power to Panches and Sarpanches and Presented a Memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner Kargil seeking extension of 73rd and 74th constitutional amendment to Jammu and Kashmir state.

The amendments grant constitutional status to elected rural local bodies. The amendments provide for direct elections to all seats in the panchayats, compulsory elections to panchayats every five years, mandatory reservation of seats for Dalits and advisasis in proportion to their share of the panchayat population and mandatory reservation of one-third of seats for women.

The Regional President Ladakh Mohammad Riyaz Khan thanked Shahnawaz Choudhary for coming Kargil and supporting the cause of the Aam Aadmi.

On this occasion Senior Congress Leader Mohammad Ali, Secretary Ladakh Region Shabir Hussain, and hundreds of activists were also present.