NC always tried to create division among different regions: Beig Govt’s deceit tactics to delay civic bodies elections would be proved disastrous for State: Mufti

GNS BISHNAH ,Aprl 02: Lambasting Omar Abdullah led coalition regime for eroding sanctity of democratic institutions in State, patron of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Mufti today questioned intension of the state government to hold  Urban Local Bodies (ULB) elections. He regretted that instead of taking some steps to strengthen democracy at grass root level, the State Government was looking for excuses to delay the ULB elections.

Addressing a meeting of party workers of Bishnah assembly segment at Pandorian, PDP patron said that elections of Urban Local Bodies including Jammu and Srinagar Municipal Corporations were scheduled to be held in the month of February 2010 but the government has been postponing these elections with one or other excuse. “I failed to understand why government is shying away from its duty to conduct these elections. Formation of Urban Local Bodies are must to empower the people of urban areas”, he remarked and added that in a democratic system it was necessary to make representative character of all democratic institutions to ensure peoples’ participation in these institutions.

Taking a dig at coalition regime for not fulfilling its promises to conducting local bodies elections, Mr Sayeed pointed out that during the last two years government has repeatedly announced to conduct these elections but these announcements remained only on papers. “Even in the Governor Address during the current budget session of the Assembly, the government has promised to conduct local bodies elections”, he recalled but added that no notification has been issued so far which substantiate PDP’s apprehensions that this regime was not interested in conducting local bodies elections.

“The government had announced to complete the process of local bodies elections by the end of April this year but process in this regard is yet to be started”, he maintained and said that it was a historical fact that National Conference has always undermined democratic institutions in the State.

“What to say of strengthening democratic institutions at grass root level, NC has never allowed even democracy to be flourished in the state”, he said and said that this party (NC) want to control all democratic institutions through undemocratic means by indulging into deceit tactics and this nefarious design of ruling party would be proved disastrous for the State.

He said that undemocratic character of such institutions suits the government because some vested interests within the government have been taking benefit of the situation. “During the last two years hundreds of backdoor appointments have been made in local bodies because there is no accountability and transparency in these institutions ”, he said.

PDP patron also flayed coalition regime for not empowering the Panchayats. “Those demanding greater autonomy for the State are hesitating even to delegate powers to the duly elected Panchayats”, he said and pointed out that almost one year has been passed after completion of Panchayat elections but neither block Smities nor Zila Committees have been constituted.

PDP patron warned that his party would strongly oppose gimmick of the ruling NC to undermine democratic institutions and to control these institutions through deceit tactics. “We will agitate for strengthening democratic institutions in the state”, he asserted.

Speaking on the occasion former Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beig said that eroding democratic institutions and controlling such institutions through illegal means was history of the NC. “Since 1947, successive NC regime has been propagating divisive politics to remain in power”, he said and added that wrong policies adopted by the NC were responsible for all ills in the State.

He regretted that for petty political gains, NC leadership has always tried to create division between people of different regions. “It was only after 2002 when Mufti Mohammad Sayeed became Chief Minister of the State some sincere efforts were made to bridge the gap”, he said.

Highlighting achievements of the previous PDP-Congress regime in the State, Beig said that Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as Chief Minister of the State had set an example of good governance. “During the regime of Mufti Sayeed every region and sub-region was treated equally and policies and programmes were formulated with the consultations of elected representatives of all areas”, he said.

Pointing towards the problems being faced by the residents of Bishnah, Beig assured that a comprehensive programme would be formulated for the socio-economic growth of the residents of this belt-which is considered as rice bowl of Jammu and Kashmir.

Trilok Singh Bajwa, Thakur Balbir Singh, Hussain Ali Bafa, Falail Singh, Chatter Singh Saini, Satpal Singh Charak, Som Nath, Kolmesh Mottan, Nair Singh, Dewan Singh, Sat Singh, Tarseem Saini, Ajay Sharma, Sartaj Singh Ladda, Choudhary Chuni Lal, Balbir Singh, Shamsher Singh, Vimal Sharma and others also spoke on the occasion.