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| Militants force 400 Panchayat members to resign | | Revival of militancy? | |
Early Times Report
Srinagar, June 24: At least 400 Panchayat members have resigned in the past three weeks following militant threats. Although the government has played it down, the panches and sarpanches across Kashmir are worried.
Jaish-e-Muhammad issued the thgreat through posters that appeared at various places in South Kashmir. The posters urged the PAnchayat members to quit within a week. It had an impact and panches and sarpanches started resigning.
According to a senior citizen, Ghulam Ahmad Wani of Shopian, the panchhayat members have been sked
to publish their resignation in local newspapers and carry the paper cuttings.
The posters appear in the wake of heightened militant activity in south Kashmir. In the past couple of months, militants have attacked three police pickets and taken away arms and ammunition from policemen. They have also killed political activists.
Interestingly the officials have not received any resignation `officially'. However, steps for their security have been taken, said an official. This is in total contrast to the statement of the minister of parliamentary affairs, Ali Muhammad Sagar who expressed his inability to provide security to all the Panchayat members.
Last year, Panchayat elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir after a gap of more than three decades. And despite boycott calls and threats issued by militants, the polls saw a record turnout of over 80 per cent.
Over the last one year, panchayats in J&K have been struggling for their rights, demanding more powers for local governance. But after recent militant threats it's a struggle for survival for panchayat members in parts of south Kashmir. Ironically, even after overwhelming participation by the people in Panchayat elections just a year ago, the grassroots democracy is once again at crossroads in Kashmir.
The Panchayat elections have been perceived s one of the major achievements of the coalition government. . The newly-elected panches and sarpanche s were infusing fresh lease of life in Jammu and Kashmir, rebuilding social structure that was shattered because of 2 decades of militancy, mingling with the common people, mingling with the common people, listening to their problems and focusing on local governance.
"Some four people have been arrested who are suspected to have issued threats and they have attacked one Sarpanch who is admitted in the hospital. This (panchayat) has a massive mandate from public, they (militants) can't go against the sentiment of people," said Ali Mohammad Sagar, Minister for Law & Panchayat Raj. |
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