BJP State Vice-President Chander Prakash Ganga, while addressing media persons at party headquarters on Saturday, charged Congress of misleading the panchayats, refugees and border people adding that this party is taking the public for a ride by having repeatedly promised empowerment of panchayats but has done nothing concrete in these matters. Its leaders at every gathering and occasions shed crocodile tears for the Panchayats, refugees and border people. Citing the recent lamentations of Congress National Vice-President Rahul Gandhi before the state Sarpanches and Panches at M.A. Stadium on the issue of Panchayats empowerment, Ganga said that instead of expending his energies on this exercise, he should have directed his Congress MLAs in the state to get the 73rd Amendment implemented in the state by passing the appropriate legislation in the assembly. He said that the just announced rupees 460 crores by Centre for the panchayats is nothing but an election stunt by the Congress as it has not been cleared whether it is one time package or will continue every year.
Ganga said it is very strange that the Congress leaders have been waxing eloquent about the desirability and need for giving powers to the Panchayats to manage the local village level development activities as per the specific requirements of their areas, but has done nothing in this behalf in the legislature. When the elections are near, the Congress leaders again start misleading the people to seek their votes.
Ganga also referred to the recent tour of Ghulam Nabi Azad to border areas where he was very solicitous of the border people and refugees suffering and hardships and expressed his sympathies for them but it is very strange that Congress being in power for such a long time both in the state and at the Centre and has done precious little for them. In power Congress’s priorities are totally different from what it professes publically and to the public. He said it has become a routine practice in the Congress to just make statements that 73rd Amendment should be implemented, refugees should be given rights and border people should be allotted plots at safer places which is nothing but vote bank politics. The Congress should explain as to who will do all this when it itself is in power at the centre as well as in the state. He advised Congress leaders to stop misleading the people and do the needful without any further delay.BJP State Press Secretary Balbir Ram Rattan and State Office Secretary Naresh Dogra were also present in the press conference.