Says PDP wont Allow Vital Institution of democracy to die at any cost
Udhampur: Accusing the ruling National Conference-led coalition government for indulging in deceit tactics to systematically undermining democratic institutions of the state, patron of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mufti Muhammad Sayed Tuesday said his party would not allow the present regime to accomplish its nefarious design of eroding sanctity of institutions like the Panchayati Raj system.
Panchayati Raj institution is base of our democratic system and the PDP will not allow this vital institution of democracy to die at any cost, a statement of PDP issued here quoted Sayeed while addressing a public meeting at remotest Latti area of Udhampur district.
Paying tributes to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on his 143rd birth anniversary, PDP patron said that setting up of vibrant Panchayati Raj system was dream of the Gandhi and PDP was committed to fulfill that dream in Jammu and Kashmir.
Taking a dig at state government for not empowering Panchayats, he regretted that almost one and half year has been passed after completion of Panchayat elections but neither Block Committee nor District Committees had been constituted.
PDP patron warned that his party would strongly oppose gimmick of the ruling NC to undermine democratic institutions and to control these institutions through deceit tactics.
We will agitate for strengthening democratic institutions in the state, he said and assured Panches and Sarpanches of Latti and adjoining localities that PDP would take their struggling to the local end.
A large number of Panches and Sarpanches of this belt were present in the meeting, the statement said.
Reminding the gathering that it was during the PDP-led regime that elections of urban local bodies were held nearly after three decades, Sayeed recalled that institution of urban bodies was constituted all over the state and the participation of people in urban local bodies elections were overwhelming at that time.
We had strengthened institution of local self government all over the state, he said.
However, he regretted that instead of taking some steps to strengthen democracy at grass root level the present regime has been brazenly trying to under mine such institutions.
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, he said. Even in the Governors address during the budget session of the Assembly, the government had promised to conduct local bodies election.
He said all promises remained on papers which substantiate PDPs apprehensions that this regime was not interested in conducting local bodies election.
What to say other things, this regime even failed to fulfill the promise which was made in the Governors address, he said and reminded that chief minister too had promised on August 15 this year that urban local bodies elections would be held very soon.
Our government had carved out a path of balanced and equitable development in the State, he said and added that it was first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir that equal treatment was given to all the regions and sub-regions of the State be it in sanctioning developmental funds or delegating decision-making powers.
He said sincere efforts were taken by the PDP-Congress regime to bring transparency in the governance and to curb the menace of corruption.
Highlighting achievements of the previous PDP led regime, he said his government had carved out a path of path of peace and development in the state.
We have revived peoples faith in the democracy and in democratic institutions through our policies and programmes, he said but hastened to add that the present regime has failed to come up to the expectations of the people.
The people have no faith on the present government and this regime does not has even a single achievement to highlight during its almost four years tenure, he mentioned and regretted that the NC-led government has failed to carry forward the agenda of peace and development which was initiated by the previous PDP-Congress regime.
He said that PDP government had set an example of equitable and balanced development in Jammu and Kashmir.
Credit goes to the PDP-led regime that first time after 1947, all regions were treated equally in developmental and other activities, he said and added that it was after 2002 that successful efforts were made to empower all regions to remove the sense of inequality and discrimination.
PDP-led coalition regime had laid a foundation of mutual trust and confidence among inhabitants of different regions of the State, he said.
PDP patron said that his party would remove the walls of hatred among different regions of the State and would also remove the trust deficit between people of Jammu and Kashmir and India.
Through our convictions and programmes, we would remove this trust deficit, he said.
Former chief minister while demanding independent tourist destination for Jammu region said that this region had huge tourism potential and it was need of the hour to exploit this potential to improve socio-economic conditions of the people.
Responding to the demands raised by local leaders, he assured that matter regarding un-electrified villages would be taken up with the authorities concerned.
He supported the demand of degree college at Latti.
General secretary Thakur Balbir Singh, Ved Mahajan, Sukhdev Sharma, Rajinder Singh Manhas, Suresh Sharma, Sansar Chand, Kuldeep Singh, Akthar, Wasim Khan, Asgar Malik, Sarpanch, Ramesh Lal Sarpanch, Balwinder Singh Sarpanch, Om Parkash, Sarpanch, Beant Kour, Sarpanch, Aijaz Sumberia and others also spoke on the occasion.
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