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Fear stricken Panches, Sarpanches to announce mass resignation

SHABIR AHMAD. Dated: 9/17/2012 12:57:18 AM

SRINAGAR, Sep 16: Following the killing of a Sarpanch in a recent attack by the unknown gunmen in Palhalan-Pattan, a number of Panches and Sarpanches have decided to go for mass resignation. They have also accused the government of deliberately weakening the institution of Panchayat in the state.
General Secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir Sarpanch and Panches Association (JKSPA), Khursheed Ahmad Malik, said, “There is no end to the attacks on Panches and Sarpanches since the Panchayat elections were held. Many of our colleges have lost their lives and scores have been injured. The government too has failed to protect us and come clear on who actually are behind the attacks. So
we have decided to announce mass resignation,” Malik said.
He said the representatives of different bodies of Sarpanches and Panches are in touch with each other and almost all of them are in favour of the mass resignation sooner than later.
“We are going to hold a meeting soon to give final shape to mass resignation as some of us are in favour of tendering the resignation before the parliament in New Delhi while others suggest announcing the
same in a press conference outside the civil secretariat,” Malik said, adding, “The announcement may come any time in next two or three weeks.”
He said the government’s non-serious attitude towards safety of Sarpanches and Panches and strengthening the institution of Panchayat forced them to take the decision.
“Government has failed to pay heed to our demands. Enough is enough. We have not fought the elections to fall prey to the bullets of the agencies,” Malik said.
President of Jammu and Kashmir Panch, Sarpanch united forum, Ghulam
Nabi Mir, blamed the government for exploiting the Panches and Sarpanches for their political interests. “All the promises made to us by the government at the time of elections continue to remain unfulfilled. The political leaders of both ruling and opposition parties have made us scapegoats. They only get us
assembled at the venue of the political rallies and later show the videos of the gatherings in Delhi claiming that people are with them,” Mir said.
He said that through a local daily, he sent an open letter to chief minister giving him 10 days deadline for ensuring the security of Panches and Sarpanches and fulfilling their other demands. “If he fails to take any measures about our security again within by or before the deadline we will not wait for even a second in announcing the mass resignation which will lead to the constitutional breakdown,” Mir added.