DH NEWS SERVICE
vijaypur, April 28
Leaders and workers of the Apni Party on Tuesday staged a protest demonstration in Vijaypur and submitted a memorandum to the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha through the SDM Vijaypur.According to a press release, the protest was organised under the leadership of Provincial President (Jammu) and former minister S. Manjit Singh to highlight public issues.
The protesters raised slogans against the government’s decision to approve developmental plans of panchayats and municipalities through the respective MLAs.
“This decision has disempowered the local population in municipalities and panchayats from receiving developmental benefits without discrimination or political interference,” said the former minister, alleging a “secret alliance” between the ruling Jammu and Kashmir National Conference and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party.
He said the BJP holds a dominant political position in the Jammu plains, having secured most Assembly seats from the region, which makes it difficult for people who do not support its ideology to access development benefits in rural and urban areas.He further alleged that the decision sidelines a majority of the population and compels people to align with either of the two political parties to secure development for their areas.
Terming the move undemocratic, he said it undermines constitutional values that guarantee equal treatment before the law.He demanded that developmental plans should be approved through Block Development Offices and Municipal Committees, rather than through MLAs.The former minister said that MLAs already have funds under the CDF, District Plan and Central schemes. However, if their role is extended and interference is allowed in Panchayat and Municipal Development Plans, it would undermine the constitutional rights of the “Gram Sabha”.
Therefore, the LG should intervene and ensure that development plans are approved by the “Gram Sabha” at the local level through mutual decisions in the respective villages, he added.Following the peaceful protest, the Apni Party’s Provincial President submitted a memorandum to the Lt Governor through SDM Vijaypur Sandeep Dubey.Those present at the protest included Provincial Vice President (Jammu) Saleem Alam, Provincial Spokesperson Adv. Sahil Bharti, District President Samba Raman Thappa, Vice President, Farooq Chauhan, Vice President, Ram Lal Sharma, former sarpanches Joginder, Karam Chand and Sham Lal, Block President Vijaypur Capt. Mohan Lal Sharma, Block President Ramgarh Bachan Choudhary, Block President Parmandal, Manzoor Malik, District Secretary Surinder Choudhary, Ex-Chairman Municipal Committee, Vijaypur, Niki Mahajan, and others.
