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| Revolt in Kashmir against NC, Congress | | | Neha
JAMMU, Nov 21: Resentment in Kashmir is brewing against National Conference and Congress party. In fact, an influential section of panchs and sarpanchs in Kashmir have revolted against the coalition government and resolved to defeat the NC and Congress candidates seeking election to the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Council. They have revolted under the leadership and inspiration of convener of Jammu & Kashmir Panchayati Raj Movement (JKPRM) Shahnawaz Sultan. Only the other day, Sultan, along with other prominent members of JKPRM, addressed a largely attended press conference in Srinagar and made an unambiguous declaration, which read: "We will oppose the coalition candidates as the government has failed to empower the panchayats in the state…Our sole aim will be to defeat the candidates nominated by the coalition partners as the National Conference-led coalition government has ditched us".
Sultan also announced that "we will visit every village and talk to panchayat members who have been ditched by the government" and that "we will ensure that the coalition candidates are defeated in the polls", scheduled to be held on December 3. Sultan, in addition, accused the coalition government of "rehabilitating its own people under the garb of grass-roots democracy" and without mincing words announced their resolve to 'defeat the coalition candidates". Besides, he questioned the vary rationale of holding elections to the Legislative Council (DDBs) before electing block development councils and district development boards. He made a very valid point.
The most significant part of the press briefing was that the convener of the JKPRM drew the attention of the authorities to the fact that the people had overlooked threat to their life and limb and participated in the panchayat elections in large numbers and with great enthusiasm two years ago to strengthen democracy at the grass-roots level. He bemoaned saying that the coalition government did not honour the solemn commitment that it will empower the elected panchs and sarpanchs and empower them to exercise powers envisaged by 73rd constitutional amendment in the Indian Constitution after the elections had been held.
If what Sultan and his other colleagues said is to believed, then it can be said that it will not be easy for the coalition candidates to emerge victorious. Their anti-NC and Congress propaganda would surely help the candidates belonging to the PDP, especially in Kashmir Valley where many panchs and sarpanchs have taken the lead to jeopardize the chances of the coalition candidates. In Jammu, the situation is fluid, notwithstanding the fact that most of the panchs and sarpanchs share the views of their counterparts in Kashmir. In any case, things have started taking anti-NC and anti-Congress turn. The coalition government is itself responsible for the growing mistrust between it and the elected panchs and sarpanchs.
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