JAMMU, Sep 1: Senior BJP leader and former Sarpanch Adv. Devraj Sharma today strongly criticised National Conference (NC) President Dr. Farooq Abdullah over his reported statement that Panchayat and District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir should not be held until restoration of statehood, terming the stand as another attempt by the NC leadership to undermine grassroots democracy and evade accountability before the people.
Adv. Devraj Sharma said that the history of Panchayati Raj in Jammu and Kashmir itself exposes the National Conference’s lack of commitment towards empowering democratic institutions at the grassroots level. He said that while most States in the country had already adopted a three-tier Panchayati Raj system, Jammu and Kashmir remained deprived of elections beyond the Panchayat level for decades.
He recalled that for the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, the three-tier Panchayati Raj system was implemented following the conduct of Panchayat elections in October-December 2018. He said the system was a major step towards taking democracy and development directly to the people at the grassroots.
“While most States in the country had already moved towards a three-tier Panchayati Raj system, Jammu and Kashmir had never witnessed elections beyond Panchayats. Even Panchayat elections themselves were held in 2011 after a gap of nearly four decades. The 2018 elections therefore marked a historic expansion of grassroots democratic institutions in J&K,” Adv. Sharma said.
Adv. Sharma pointed out that the NC’s record in government provides sufficient evidence that the party had never shown genuine interest in transferring greater powers and responsibilities to elected grassroots institutions.
He recalled that in November 2012, the then Omar Abdullah-led National Conference-Congress coalition Government had initiated an exercise to hold elections to Block Development Councils for the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir. However, while the process was underway, objections were raised by senior Congress leader and then Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad over the issue of reservation of seats in the Councils.
“In view of these objections, the process was shelved and was never revived. The Panchayats subsequently completed their five-year term in July 2016, but no meaningful effort was made to complete the next stage of grassroots democratic institutions,” he said.
The BJP leader said that the political reluctance towards strengthening Panchayati Raj was not confined merely to the BDC election process. He alleged that even some legislators had indirectly opposed the holding of BDC elections and the constitution of District Planning and Development Boards, apprehending that greater decentralisation would reduce their influence over developmental works.
“Once powers relating to local development, planning and implementation started moving into the hands of elected Panchayats and institutions constituted through Panchayat representatives, the traditional political control of legislators over grassroots development would naturally diminish. This was perhaps one of the reasons why there was reluctance towards strengthening these institutions,” Adv. Sharma alleged.
He said that the developments of 2012-16 clearly demonstrate that the NC-led Government in the past did not prioritise the strengthening of grassroots democracy.“In view of this history, Dr. Farooq Abdullah’s latest statement is not surprising. Rather, it vindicates the long-standing approach of the National Conference towards grassroots democratic institutions. A party which failed to complete the process of establishing BDCs when it was itself in government cannot now lecture the people on democracy,” Adv. Sharma said.
Taking a direct dig at the NC leadership, Adv. Sharma said that if Dr. Farooq Abdullah genuinely believes that Panchayat and DDC elections cannot be held before restoration of statehood, then he should first ask his son and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to resign and wait for fresh Assembly elections until statehood is restored.
“If the argument is that elections cannot be conducted under the present Union Territory arrangement, then the same logic must apply to the Assembly. The NC contested the Assembly elections under the existing constitutional and administrative framework, sought votes from the people, accepted their mandate and formed the government. It cannot now selectively declare the same framework unsuitable for Panchayat and DDC elections,” he said.
Adv. Sharma questioned why the NC leadership was seeking to link restoration of statehood with elections to grassroots institutions.“Restoration of statehood and holding Panchayat and DDC elections are two separate democratic processes. One cannot be used as a precondition for the other. The people living in villages, blocks and districts should not be deprived of their elected representatives because of a political disagreement over the status of the Union Territory,” he asserted.
The former Sarpanch said that Panchayats and DDCs play a crucial role in identifying local priorities, monitoring development works, improving delivery of public services and ensuring that the voice of rural and remote communities reaches the administration.He said that delaying these elections would directly affect ordinary citizens, particularly those in rural areas who depend upon grassroots representatives for raising issues concerning roads, drainage, drinking water, sanitation, education, health facilities and other local development requirements.
Adv. Sharma further alleged that the NC leadership was now “passing the buck” as it faced increasing questions from the people regarding its governance record and electoral promises.“Instead of answering legitimate questions raised by the people and explaining the delay in fulfilling its commitments, the NC leadership appears to be searching for excuses. Statehood is an important issue, but it cannot be used as a shield to postpone democratic processes or avoid accountability,” he said.
He accused the NC of adopting a “double standard” by claiming to champion democracy while supporting the postponement of elections to institutions that directly represent the people at the grassroots.“The people of Jammu and Kashmir have already experienced decades of delay in the establishment of meaningful grassroots democratic institutions. After the historic expansion of Panchayati Raj in 2018, there can be no justification for taking the process backwards,” Adv. Sharma said.
The BJP leader maintained that democracy becomes meaningful only when people are given regular opportunities to elect representatives at every level and hold them accountable.He urged the Government and the Election Commission to take all necessary steps for conducting Panchayat and DDC elections at the earliest, saying that restoration of statehood should continue as a separate democratic and constitutional objective without holding grassroots elections hostage to it.
“Jammu and Kashmir needs stronger grassroots democracy, not weaker institutions. The people should have elected representatives in their villages, blocks and districts who can identify local needs, monitor development and remain directly accountable to the public. No political party should be permitted to weaken this democratic process merely for political convenience,” Adv. Sharma said.