Raouf Dar
Srinagar, Nov 30 (KINS): Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh Monday said that the Bhartiya Janta Party introduced autonomy and self-rule in real sense in Jammu and Kashmir after seven decades with the holding of Block Development Committee (BDC) and DDC elections for the first time.
He also accused the National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party of having all these years denied “self-rule” and “autonomy” to the grassroot local bodies even though these parties always kept this at the top of their political manifesto.
In the first electoral exercise in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370, the election authorties said that nearly 52 per cent turnout was recorded on Saturday in the first phase of the DDC polls.
According to news agency KINS South Kashmir correspondent the Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh while addressing the party workers at Dak Bungalow in Anantnag said. “The District Development Council (DDC) vote is a vote for grassroot “self-rule” and by turning out in huge numbers, people have rejected the concept of dynastic self-rule or dynastic autonomy perpetrated by the Gupkar Parties”. BDC, DDC elections are the real concept of autonomy, self- rule. PDP and National conference must be thankful to BJP,” he said.
Singh said it is important for the people of the valley to understand that this is for the first time after Independence the concept of three-tier grassroots democracy comprising panchayats, BDCs and district councils has been introduced in the state.
“The real sense self rule and autonomy under the Modi government, is quite in contrast to the frivolous slogans of self-rule and autonomy raised by Kashmir-centric political parties, which have been befooling the people of the state for decades, only to perpetuate their dynasty rule generation after generation,” the BJP top leader said.
He said if local politicians who have been beating the drums over revocation of Article 370 were so outraged, they should have simply resigned from the Parliament. “Why didn’t they do it and go back to the people with the same issue. Instead, they decided to sit in the Parliament and enjoy perks” he said.
He said PDP which was talking of self rule even did not show any interest in holding these elections to strengthen the basic institutes of democracy. But it even boycotted these elections, which indicated that the party was not interested in transferring power to grass root level.
Dr Jitendra Singh said the NC on the other hand talked of autonomy for decades together but never showed any interest in strengthening the Panchayati Raj system in J&K. The autonomy concept of NC was for the party and selected dynasties. Even it did not show any interest in implementation of 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments in J&K which was meant to strengthen the Panchayati Raj system in the country. The law was implemented in the entire country except J&K as the NC leadership took a rigid stand taking the advantage of controversial Article 370, he added.(KINS)