AJKPC asks government to withdraw PR Bill Amendment

AJKPC  asks government to withdraw  PR Bill Amendment

Jammu, 26/July/2016: All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference, AJKPC today once again asked the PDP-BJP coalition government to withdraw amendments in the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Bill. Asking the state government to take a cue from the decision of the honourable governor to return the said bill for clearance to the state government.

Anil Sharma, president of the organization while addressing the media persons after chairing a meeting of the Panchayat representatives of Jammu division informed that all the members of AJKPC have unanimously  appealed the state government to withdraw anti-democracy bill  to avoid any confrontation.

Cautioning the Coalition government to learn lessons from the past blunders of the previous governments (election rigging in 1987 ) that had lead to turbulence and violence in the state and avoid fiddling with the democratic  laws and institutions again.

“Our 13 brave panchayat members have sacrificed their lives between 2011 to 2016 to upkeep the democracy alive in the state but instead of respecting their martyrdom the PDP-BJP government is rubbing salt on wounds” , said Sharma.

The people of all the three regions of J & K State are pro-democracy and believe in the idea of decentralisation of power this was the reason that over 80 percent voting was recorded during last panchayat elections, even in most militancy affected areas of the state, be it Valley or in Jammu people daring all odds chose the democratic process but now this amendment in the PR Act may loose their faith and then the entire liability shall be on the shoulders of the Coalition government.

The Panchayat leader while condemning the ruling as well as opposition parties for their double standards in and outside the legislative assembly to weaken the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act through the amendments, he said the members of these political parties supported the bill in the assembly but pretended to oppose it before the people and their bluff have also been exposed.

The AJKPC president asked the state government not to take a rigid stand and withdraw the proposed amendments in the PR Bill that were passed by state legislature during last session of the house. He said, when the highest constitutional institution of the state i.e Raj Bhavan has expressed its displeasure which is evident through returning the bill for seeking clarification, now it becomes moral duty of the elected government to respect the constitution and also voice of the people who have already opposed the amendments in the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act. Those who attended the meeting and were present during the press conference include, Goutam Singh Jamwal, Provincial President, Jammu, Raj Kumar, Provincial, Vice President, Jammu, Sardar Inderjeet Singh, Raj Dev Singh,  Captain Kasturi lal Sharma, , Bindu Choudhary, Sanjeev Singh, Sarfraz Choudhary,  Ram Pal Sharma, Amjad Malik,,Captain Ajeet Singh, Mani Ram Sharma, Avinash Devi, Mohan Lal Mengi, Puran Chand Bhagat, Mohammad Aslam and others.

Recall PRA Bill or face Consequences: AJKPC to Govt

Make a formal request to Governor for returning PRA Bill: AJKPC tells govt 

 Will launch Block, Panchayat level agitation to save PRIs from vested political interests: Sharma  

JAMMU,06/July/2016: All Jammu Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) on Wednesday asked the ruling PDP-BJP coalition to make a formal request to the Governor N N Vohra for returning of controversial and flawed ‘The Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2016’ to rectify its blunder of imposing ‘black law’ on the rural people of the state. 

The AJKPC, a frontline organisation of elected Sarapnches and Panches fighting for empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in Jammu and Kashmir, also declared that it would launch a state-wide agitation at Panchayat and block levels if the state government do not make a request to the Governor for returning the Bill for reconsideration when it’s sent to him (Governor) for his assent.

“This is not the fight for election of a Sarpanch or Panch in a Panchayat but it is a decisive battle for restoration of democracy which has ruthlessly been hammered and crushed at the grass-roots level. The state government has violated the fundamental rights of the people and made a direct assault on democratic ethos of the state by passing the illogical Bill in both the Houses of State Legislature,” Anil Sharma, state president AJKPC told reporters here this morning.

The AJKPC had called an emergent meeting of Sarpanches from different parts of Jammu region, including Executive Body members of the organisation today to discuss the situation arising out of the amendment to the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Raj Act (PRA) 1989. The Amendment in the Act provides for Sarpanches being elected by the Panches instead of elected directly by the people in rural areas.

Sharma said there was a great resentment among common masses against the state government for its illogical move because they were feeling disempowered and deprived. “It appears the state government did not apply its mind before introducing this amendment in the PRA because it will directly make political interference in the PRIs. After this amendment, a Sarpanch will act like a MLC or Rajya Sabha member as he will be elected by Panches and he will have no accountability to the people directly,” the AJKPC leader said. 

He made a fervent appeal to the ruling political parties not to politicize the PRIs for their vested interests which will have serious ramifications in the state.

“Instead of strengthening the democracy at grass-roots level and encouraging larger public participation in decision making at local levels, the PDP-BJP coalition has virtually strengthened the voices of separatists in Kashmir Valley who are against the participation of people in elections. The government move will be insult to the sacrifices of those Panchayat members and security personnel who laid their lives for strengthening of democracy at grass-roots level in sensitive state of Jammu and Kashmir,” the AJKPC president said.

He also declared that a meeting of Sarpanches from Kashmir and Ladakh regions would be held next week to start state-wide agitation against the imposition of ‘black law’ on the people of the state.   Sarpanches from Doda, Reasi, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur and other districts of Jammu province attended the meet. Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion include Bimla Devi, President WomenWing-AJKPC, Raj Kumar, Provinical President (J), S. Amnider singh, Ashwani Sharma, Sanjeev singh, Bindu chowdhary, Mohan Singh, ,  Ram pal Sharma Sarpanch, samba distt. Puran kumar, Karpal singh , Puran chand sarpanch Reasi, Rakesh Charak, Yashpal  singh Charak all Sarpanches.

Imposition of ‘black law’ on rural people unacceptable: AJKPC

AJKPC to mobilize people for state-wide agitation; Govt making efforts to crush democracy at grass-roots level: Anil Sharma

JAMMU, 01/July/2016: All Jammu Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) on Friday declared that it would mobilize the people and launch a state-wide agitation against the state government’s move to weaken the Panchayati Raj system and crush democracy at the grass-roots level in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The ‘Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2016’, which was passed by the legislative assembly on June 30, is a black law which will snatch the democratic rights to the people to elect their representatives at the grassroots level directly. The state government has cleared its intentions of weakening the Panchayati Raj System in J&K,” Anil Sharma, state president AJKPC said.

He was addressing the local people of Dansal and Nagrota blocks who held a strong demonstration against the state government’s ill-advised move to snatch their rights of electing Sarpanches of their own choice.

“We are left with no option but start a vigorous state-wide agitation against the state government which has tried to dismantle the well-established Panchayati Raj system which has been strengthened in J&K only after the sacrifices of security personnel, rural people and Panchayat members,” Sharma said.

He said the AJKPC has asked its members to approach the people for a mass agitation at state-level to defeat the PDP-BJP government’s illogical move which will only crush the democracy at the grass-roots level.  

The AJKPC leader said the Amended Bill was totally against the spirit of the 73^rd Amendment of Indian Constitution for which they had been fighting for the last many years.

“The move of state government is fraught with serious ramifications as it would encourage the money and muscle power in Panchayat elections. Political parties would easily win over the elected Panches and get their relatives, family members and favourites elected as Sarpanches, leaving deserving and genuine Panchayat members at the receiving end,” Sharma said.

He said the rural populace and all stakeholders would strongly oppose the proposition which would deprive them of the benefits of democratic decentralization.

“We appeal to the government to shun its ill-intention and not impose any black law on the people as it will prove suicidal for it and create anarchy in the state,” he warned.