Indirect elections of Sarpanchs; RGPRS threatens State level agitation
[mom_video type=”youtube” id=”OCHckhO2p2o”]
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: State unit of Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati Raj Sangathan (RGPRS) is going to launch State level agitation against the government’s decision of holding indirect elections of Sarpanchs in the State.
Briefing media persons, Shahnawaz Chowdhary, State Convenor RGPRS and General Secretary JKPCC said that in the last one month the Sangathan members visited all the districts of Jammu province and interacted with Sarpanchs and Panchs and took their feedback regarding holding of indirect elections of Sarpanchs and non-implementation of 73rd Amendment in which majority of the Sarpanchs, Panchs and people in general showed their resentment against the decision of the government. He said that RGPRS has decided to oppose the decision of government to hold indirect elections of Sarpanchs which is the murder of democracy at grass root level.
In this context, RGPRS is going to launch agitation from block level to State level, Choudhary said, adding that in the first phase the RGPRS along with Sarpanchs and Panchs will hold protest at block headquarters from January 10 onwards and there after submit the memorandum to the Chief Minister through the Block Development Officer of the concerned block.
After covering all the blocks, in the next phase the Sangathan members will protest at their district headquarters and if still their demand of holding the direct elections of Sarpanchs and implementation of 73rd amendment will not be considered then RGPRS will Gherao the Civil Secretariat.
While criticizing the programme and policies of government, Choudhary said that the government instead of empowering the Panchayati Raj system by incorporating the provisions of 73rd and 74th amendment and to provide security to the Sarpanchs, has weakened the Panchayati Raj Act by holding the indirect elections of Sarpanchs.