Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday lambasted Opposition BJP and National Panthers Party for raising the issue of reservation for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes in the Block Development Council (BDC) for which election will be held next month.
“What are they seeking reservation for? There was no reservation in Sarpanch posts (but it was provided). Where were they then?” Omar said in the Assembly, reacting to the charge of the two Opposition parties that the Government was ignoring the marginalised sections of the society.
There was a heated exchange of words between the treasury benches and the legislators from BJP and NPP over the issue. An angry Omar accused the two parties of staging a “drama” inside the Assembly.
“Do this drama outside (the Assembly). You are not well wishers of the SC and ST people. You are scared of the Panchayat empowerment, but this process will not stop, you may try as much as you want,” the Chief Minister said.
NPP MLA Harsh Dev Singh retorted that he had brought six amendments to the act in the Assembly. “We had been trying.” BJP MLA Jugal Kishore said the Congress party, which had launched a campaign for implementation of the 73rd amendment of the Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir, should make its position clear on the reservation issue.
Congress MLA G A Mir said his party’s position was clear on the empowerment of Panchayats.
“Panchayati Raj Minister (Ali Mohammad Sagar) has given a detailed statement on the issue and we are satisfied that the state government is going to incorporate the provisions of the 73rd Amendment in the state act,” Mir said.
He said with regard to provision of reservation for women, SC and ST in the BDCs, an amendment to this effect can be brought in the House during the future session of the Assembly. Not satisfied with the reply from the Government on the issue, the three NPP legislators in the Assembly staged a walkout. (PTI)
