SRINAGAR: Cutting across the party lines, members of district development councils in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory on Tuesday staged protests against the government’s orders about their honorarium and protocol at Jammu where they all had gathered to attend a training programme organized by the Rural Development Department.
All elected DDC members from BJP, NC, PDP, Congress, PC and other parties staged protests outside the convention centre over their honorarium and protocol, saying it was a humiliation to them. They are refusing to attend the training programme.
“This is our insult and humiliation,” Shabir Ahmad Lone, DDC member from Rohama Rafiabad told news agency KNO.
He said that they will en-masse resign if the government will not revoke the orders. Muzaffar Ahmad Dar, DDC member from Tujjar Sharief said that all the DDC members have gathered outside the Jammu Convention Centre to protest against the government’s orders about their protocol and honorarium.
“We were told that DDC members will be given powers at par with the MLAs, but the bureaucrats don’t want it to happen. They have issued orders without consulting us,” he said. The protests were going on when this report was last filed.
Meanwhile, officials are trying to pacify the protesting DDC members. As already reported by KNO, the administration of Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory yesterday amended its warrant of precedence, placing chairpersons of district development councils equal to administrative secretaries and inspector generals of police.
