Warning of consequences, the state panchayat body today demanded that a draft bill on the 73rd amendment of the Indian Constitution be introduced in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly by February 5.
Alleging that the Omar Abdullah government was trying to force elected sarpanches to resign, the All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) threatened to intensify their agitation over the implementation of the 73rd amendment.
"Deliberate attempts are being made by the state government so that 33,000 elected panches and sarpanches resign themselves," AJKPC president, Anil Sharma alleged.
"We ask the state government to come with draft bill on 73rd amendment by February 5; then make it public and get it passed in the upcoming Assembly session," the Panchayat leader said.
The law aims to empower the Panchayati Raj system in the country, and the AJKPC has been repeatedly demanding implementation of the law in the state.
The Panchayat body condemned the government's attempts to "weaken the Panchayati Raj" system in the state, claiming that it was a conspiracy.
He said it was evident from the fact that despite so many requests, it had "not moved an inch" on the implementation of the 73rd amendment in the state.
"AJKPC invited them (Omar government) for open debate to clear their stand on why they were opposing 73rd amendment. But they were silent and did not respond," Sharma said.
He said all Panches and Sarpanches have urged the AJKPC to take a tough stand against the state government if the law is not implemented at the earliest.
Last month, the AJKPC had dismissed as wrong, the propaganda that implementing all the provisions of 73rd amendment would undermine and challenge Article 370, which guarantees special status to the state.
