Jammu- Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Saturday rejected claims that the National Conference (NC) led government was delaying the elections to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) but asserted that there should be an administrative and political structure in which elected representatives could genuinely exercise their powers.
Citing the existing Union Territory arrangement, he said, “Today, this is the Omar Abdullah government, but we do not have the police, nor do we have our own IPS or IAS cadre. So what kind of government is this?”
So the NC government would not want PRI elections to be held only for the elected representatives “to later be ignored, denied respect and not even recognised by the officers,” he told reporters while responding to a question about BJP charging the NC-led government of deliberately delaying the elections to panchayat and urban local bodies.
“We have never said we do not want elections. We have said, give us statehood. They (BJP leadership) tell us it will be given at an appropriate time,” Choudhary said.
Earlier, the government had said the process to hold local bodies elections was underway, and polls would be conducted after the completion of administrative formalities such as voter lists, reservations, and delimitation.
“Today, if we make someone a sarpanch or a DDC (district development council) member, would the officers actually listen to them.
“What is the point of holding such elections,” he asked, adding that the people wanted genuine and meaningful elections, not merely symbolic elections.
Choudhary was speaking to reporters after conducting a surprise inspection of a government hospital here.
Terms ED Case Against His Brother ‘Selective Targeting’
Choudhary defended his brother, suspended police officer Vijay Choudhary, in the Enforcement Directorate’s case and termed it “selective targeting.”
“My brother is someone who has fought against militancy and has survived militant attacks,” he said.
Choudhary said that despite his brother’s service for which he should have been rewarded, he was being targeted, and warned that the files would one day be opened and those responsible would have to answer.
The deputy chief minister asserted that he would not be intimidated by the filing of a case against his brother, adding that “every oppression has an end.”
Choudhary, however, said any matter concerning his family should be decided by the judiciary rather than being debated by him in public.
“I would rather leave it to the investigating agencies and the court. I have complete faith in my judiciary,” Choudhary told reporters on the sidelines of his inspection of a government hospital here.
The ED has booked Vijay under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), while an FIR has already been registered against him by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). The case relates to allegations of managing dozens of assets through benami transactions and money laundering.
The deputy chief minister also criticised the functioning of the BJP and said the party seeks Muslim votes during elections but resorts to “Hindu-Muslim politics” once elections are over, calling it “unfortunate” for Jammu and Kashmir and the country.
He also said there had been significant improvement in hospital management after the formation of the NC-led government, stressing the need to treat doctors and paramedical staff properly and urging people to remain vigilant about these issues.
Vows Zero Tolerance for Violence Against Girls
Choudhary condemned the recent death of a minor girl during an alleged attempt to terminate her pregnancy after she was raped by her school teacher, saying the government would not tolerate any form of violence, injustice or cruelty against children.
Calling the incident “unfortunate and disturbing”, Choudhary said police have already taken action in the case.
“Any injustice or cruelty against girls — or children in general — will not be tolerated,” the deputy chief minister said, asserting that none should assume that they can mistreat and violate anyone with impunity.
A 15-year-old girl from a tribal community was allegedly raped repeatedly by a teacher in her school for several months resulting in pregnancy, and death following a botched abortion, in Chatroo area of Kishtwar district on Thursday. Police have arrested the accused teacher, besides the headmaster of the school and his brother.
“There are no words to adequately condemn what happened,” he said, stressing that the government would never tolerate such incidents.
The deputy chief minister also clarified that the police do not come under the administrative control of the elected Jammu and Kashmir government. However, he said this could not be an excuse for allowing injustice to be committed against people, particularly girls.
“If such things continue to increase, the Omar Abdullah government will not tolerate it. We will go to whatever extent necessary to stop such incidents,” he said, adding that the government would take every step to prevent such acts.
Talking to reporters after conducting a surprise inspection at a government hospital in Jammu, the deputy chief minister further said he has taken strong exception to deployment of girl students at reception counters at the hospital and has ordered immediate corrective measures.
Choudhary said he visited the hospital following complaints that the facility was not being properly managed.
“I came here because there had been complaints of mismanagement. I wanted to see the situation myself,” he said, adding that he has observed several issues and directed the hospital superintendent for urgent rectification.
“I was particularly surprised to see that girls who have come here to study have been made to sit at the reception. That is not their job,” he said.
The deputy chief minister directed that students should no longer be assigned reception duties, saying security personnel should instead be deployed for the task.
He said guiding patients and visitors about the availability and location of doctors was responsibility of security staff or personnel specifically assigned for the purpose.
Choudhary said the hospital administration had been instructed to address the issue and ensure that students were not assigned duties unrelated to their purpose at the facility.
On the other hand, protests continued for the third consecutive day in different parts of the Jammu region, including Jammu, Kishtwar and Doda districts, with demonstrators — many among them students — expressing outrage over the rape of the 15-year-old girl and demanding an impartial inquiry to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
Protesters called for the strictest possible punishment for the culprits, besides seeking accountability from those found to have been negligent. They also urged authorities to ensure a transparent investigation and effective measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
