National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today asked women to gear up for the panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir, saying 33 per cent reservation will enable their larger involvement in decision making in the democratic institutions at the grass roots level.
"Panchayats are key to political empowerment of women", Abdullah said while addressing a day-long women convention at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here this evening.
The convention was organized by the former MLA Bimla Luthra.
Abdullah favoured larger role for women in shaping the destiny of the society and the state, saying panchayats and local bodies institutions could be catalyst of change in this regard.
The former chief minister said that women continue to suffer from discrimination, and conditions were required to be created for their growth as equal partners in the decision making.
"A beginning has to be made by women themselves for their empowerment and economic emancipation," he said and urged the opinion leaders among women to fan out in their areas and identify public-spirited candidates for the elections.
Cautioning against machinations of divisive forces, Abdullah called for maintaining strict vigil as elements inimical to communal amity and harmony would attempt to create mistrust by "generating euphoria over religion being under threat."
"There has never ever been any threat to religions but elements with vested interest always generate fear psychosis to safeguard their own malicious interests", he added.
National Conference president said the society will progress only when the people at large maintain their time- tested heritage and isolate those creating wedge for petty political ends.
"Time has come when forces inimical to peace and unity are completely isolated", he said and urged the party cadre to work for forging unity and amity between various segments of the society.
Regarding Jammu and Kashmir he said that nothing was going to change with the present status of the state. "While this side of the state will continue to remain part of India, the PoK will be under Pakistan."
The former chief minister invoked the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee saying that the sanctity of the Line of Control (LoC) could not be trampled by crossing over during Kargil incursion.
He also referred to return of the strategically crucial Haji Peer, conquered in 1965, to Pakistan. National Conference had not advocated for this but "Indian nation as such took this decision."
He alleged that the present coalition dispensation was depriving women of old-age and widow pensions.
"The prices of essentials and LPG are increasing as a result of which poor were suffering hugely," he said.
He criticized the present government for its "anti-poor" policies and said that jobs have become out of reach for eligible and poor job-seekers. "Nepotism and favoritism are ruling the roost."
The NC chief said that the previous PDP-led government and the present dispensation have put development on the backburner.
He said the government has not been able to optimally harness the resources, especially on hydel power front and the state was suffering as a consequence.
He also questioned the rationale being adopted in release of widow pension and expressed concern over pendency of 25,000 applications for disposal.
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