Abid Bashir
Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir’s newly appointed Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha today said that the administration led by him will ensure better security arrangements for all elected sarpanchs and political workers who are facing threats in the Union Territory.
“Some political workers and panchayat representatives were killed recently, I expressed my heartfelt condolences to their families. My administration stands with their families. Some measures to protect panchayat representatives and political workers have already been taken and I promise that I will ensure better security arrangements for them in the days ahead,” LG Sinha said.
He also launched a departmental and district level Coffee Table book highlighting developmental works of J&K that took place in the past one year, at SKICC on the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar.
His statement comes close on the heels of the killing of two BJP leaders including a sarpanch and critical injury to a sarpanch this month. The BJP had demanded security cover for all the sarpanches and panchs and the administration has lodged BJP workers, leaders and panchayat representatives in safe accommodations at every district headquarter, he said.
In the function, LG Sinha felicitated Covid warriors, panchayat and ULB representatives while a short film on the ongoing developmental works was also screened.
Sinha while assuring better security arrangements for the political workers and panchayat representatives, said “the administration needs to be cautious while framing the future security strategy for the panchayat representatives and other political workers.”
He said the administration led by him will start consultations to create a better atmosphere and to ensure a peaceful and dignified life for the people of J&K. “We will ensure J&K’s development without any disparity. This is what Prime Minister Narendera Modi is committed for. He told me that I should work for the speedy development of J&K and make J&K as a model UT. Development has taken place but I feel there is a need to speed up the process on ground level,” Sinha said.
He said J&K’s Panchayati Raj Act is stronger than other States and UTs of India. “When we talk about change, we need to change ourselves first,” the J&K LG said, adding that democracy will flourish in J&K and “all of us will have to work towards that.”
-ARK
