KL Desk
Srinagar
In wake of the fresh attacks on Panchayat members in the state, at least 35 panchs and sarpanchs of the Baramulla district tendered their resignations on Sunday.
According to KNS, amid situation of panic and chaos, the panches and sarpanches from Hardshiva A and B and Yemberzalwari halqas of Sopore area in the district announced their resignations in the presence of the media.
Accusing the state government of making them “scapegoats”, the panchs and sarpanchs said they preferred saving their lives over running of the powerless panchayats in the state.
“Although we announce our resignation in front of you, we will officially send our resignation letters to the concerned Block Development Officers and Deputy Commissioner Baramulla on Monday”, said one of the Panchs.
They said fresh attacks on Panchayat members in the area have created a sense of fear among the members who are now opting for resignations, and have accused the government of not taking adequate measures to protect them.
Those who announced their resignation from their posts include two sarpanchs and one deputy sarpanch while a good number of female panchayat members also pledged to shoot resignation letters to the authorities.
Sarpanch Manzoor Ahmad, Deputy Sarpanch Manzoor Ahmad, Panchs Gulam Hassan Dangar, Zafeefa, Gh Mohiuddin Peer, Fayaz Ahmad Rather, Imtiyaz Ahmad Shah, and Haleema Akhter announced their resignation from Hardshia A on the occasion.
From Hardshiva B, Sarpanch Bashr Ahmad Lone, panchs Gulam Mohiuddin Dar, Bashir Ahmad Waza, Manzoor Ahmad Dangroo, Gh Mohd Kanjiwal, Mushtaq Ahmad, Tahira Begum, Mymoona Begum, Masrat Jan, Mohd Ashraf Dar, Bilal Ahmad Dar, Farooq Ahmad Dar, Ghulam Mohiuddin and Javed Ahmad among others announced their resignation.
Meanwhile, speaking to media person at a local hotel, the panchayat members accused the state government of making them scapegoats by holding panchayat elections in the state. “We want to live a normal life but our life has become like hell. We make it clear that we shall have nothing to do with panchyats henceforth”, said one panch Bashir Ahmad.
Suspected militants on Friday shot dead a sarpanch, Habibullah Mir at Goripora village in Sopore town, 52 kms from here, while a woman panchayat member Zoonaa Begum was shot and injured inside her house at Hardshiva Sopore Saturday night.
Panchayat members in Kashmir have been demanding security from the state government since last year after such similar incidents.
