BJP to hold protests on Feb 21 over Panchayat elections in J

Jammu, Feb 17 (PTI) BJP today said it will hold protestdemonstrations in all districts across Jammu and Kashmir onFebruary 21 in support of its demand of holding Panchayatelections in the state only after implementing 73rd and 74thamendments of the Panchayati Raj Act.

"We will hold district level protests across the state onFebruary 21 in protest against the failure of the governmentto ensure 73rd and 74th amendments are implemented in thestate and holding of elections without the amendments," BJPState President Shamsher Singh Manhas said here.

The protests are aimed to mount pressure on the OmarAbdullah government to undertake the amendments first and thenhold the Panchayat elections, he said.

Manhas said the recent decision of the NC-Congresscoalition government to hold elections to Panchayats and localbodies in the state without implementing the 73rd and 74thamendments of the Indian Constitution will prove to be afutile exercise as it will not achieve the real objective ofgrass-root level empowerment.