NON PARTICIPATION IN DDC ELECTIONS WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY DAMAGED INTERESTS OF COMMON MAN:TARIGAMI

NON-PARTICIPATION IN DDC ELECTIONS WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY DAMAGED INTERESTS OF COMMON MAN: TARIGAMI

Non-participation in DDC elections would have certainly damaged interests of common man: Tarigami*
‘Only development in J&K since last August is that police stations, jails are full’*
Kulgam, Nov 25 :CPI (M) on Wednesday held a day-long convention at Rest House, Kulgam which was presided over by Muhammad Afzal Parray, District Secretary. The convention was attended by hundreds of workers.
While addressing the convention, CPI (M) leader and former MLA Kulgam Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami said that Jammu and Kashmir is going through extremely difficult situation. “The District Development Council (DDC) elections were announced amid uncertainty and without any consultations with political parties. But nevertheless non-participation in DDC elections would have damaged the interests of the common man,” he said.
He added that to vote or not to vote became a topic of discussion for several years in Kashmir. “History and experience sufficiently demonstrates that neither voting nor the boycott changed the political course of Kashmir. However, the boycott of elections virtually leads to disempowerment of people which is the reason that the political parties in J&K decided to participate in these polls though announced abruptly,” he said.
In the absence of any democratic structure in J&K for the last more than two years, people feel powerless and helpless as their basic issues and agonies are increasing day by day. There is a situation where bureaucracy, which is highly insensitive towards the common man’s sufferings, is running the show. This unfortunate situation virtually make people to run from pillar to post to get their issues settled, but without any response from those in authority.
Despite the tall claims of the administration about development, the ground situation is entirely different. There is no adequate electricity, ration stores in several areas are empty, welfare schemes are suffering because of inadequate funds, requirements to face Covid-19 pandemic are not sufficiently taken care of, projects already undertaken are virtually defunct and no new projects have been undertaken.

ASHA’s under NHM, Anganwadi workers and helpers, Mid Day Meal workers, CPWs, MGNREGA employees, contractuals, construction workers, need based, seasonal, casual labours, daily wagers are without wages for months. Unemployment levels are rising in J&K as educated youth struggle with neglect and lack of job-creation policy. Survival of thousands of artisans, who are almost without any work since last August, is at stake. These most distressed people should have been at least given some cash assistance, but there has been no response from the government.

The communication lockdown imposed last August continues, albeit with some relaxations. There is only 2G internet available, which too is snapped at times. This is causing havoc not only in banking, trade, business and healthcare but in the field of education as well. The 2G technology cannot sustain online learning, which is a ready option being used in the rest of the country.