JK Panchayat, Urban Body polls to be held on schedule: Rajnath

23/09/2018

Vadodara, Sep 22: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Saturday said that urban local body and panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir will be held as per schedule. Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of a BJP party workers' meet here, Singh said these polls would give all parties an opportunity to interact with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The state's chief electoral officer announced Friday that a four-phase election to urban local bodies from October 8. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer ShaleenKabra had said on September 16 that panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in nine-phases on a non-party basis beginning November 17.
"Around 58 lakh electorate will be eligible to vote in the 35,096 panchayat constituencies. The notification for the first phase will be issued on October 23," he had said. Kabra had told reporters here that counting of votes would take place on the same day or the very next day.
The two major political parties in Jammu and Kashmir- the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) - have decided to boycott the polls, saying that the central government is yet to declare its stand on Article 35A.
Article 35A was incorporated in the Constitution by a 1954 Presidential Order and accords special rights and privileges to the Jammu and Kashmir citizens.
Article 35A, which also denies property rights to a woman who marries a person from outside the state, has been challenged in the Supreme Court and the matter is under its consideration. Singh reiterated the Centre's resolve to wipe out terrorism from the restive state, and asserted there was "no question right now" of talks with Pakistan till it ends its support to terrorism.
"Under present circumstances, talks cannot happen with Pakistan," Singh said.
He lauded the pace of development under the leadership of Prime Minister NarendraModi and said that the country, at this rate of progress, would soon become a superpower in the fields like education, technology and knowledge. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Saturday advised Congress president Rahul Gandhi not to make allegations against the government on the Rafale issue without proof. Singh said the verification of the French media report, which quoted former French President Francois Hollande on the purchase of the Rafale fighter jets, will reveal the truth.
Hollande was quoted in a French media report as purportedly saying that the Indian government proposed Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence as the partner for Dassault Aviation in the Rs 58,000 croreRafale jet fighter deal and France did not have a choice.
"The government has issued a statement on the issue. Let the verification of the report take place. It will clear the situation, it will reveal the truth," Singh told reporters here. The home minister, who was here to attend a meeting of the cooperative societies sector, went on to advise Gandhi that he should not make allegations without proof.
"One should think four times before levelling any baseless allegation. One should not make allegations without proof," Singh said to a question on what he would like to tell Gandhi who has been dragging the name of Prime Minister NarendraModi in the deal.
Gandhi had dragged Modi into the imbroglio by alleging that the prime minister was involved in the Rafale "scam".
Reacting to Hollande's reported remark, which is at variance with the Indian government's position on the Rafale deal, a Defence Ministry spokesman had Friday said, "The report referring to former French President Hollande's statement that government of India insisted upon a particular firm as offset partner for Dassault Aviation in Rafale is being verified."
Earlier addressing members of 11 cooperative societies at a meeting here, Singh asked them to enter the housing sector to fulfil the prime minister's dream of housing for all by 2022.
"Our prime minister has a dream that everyone in the country should have a house and his dream can be fulfilled easily if the cooperative sector comes forward (to take part) in the housing sector," he said.
"People can get affordable houses if the cooperative sector enters the housing sector" the home minister said.
Singh told the gathering that the cooperative sector is active in Gujarat and Maharashtra and such activity is required in other states as well.
He claimed that the rate of interest on agriculture loans were reduced for the first time when AtalBihari Vajpayee was prime minister, and he Union agriculture minister.
"Now I am glad to know that cooperative banks here are giving agriculture loans on zero per cent interest," he said.
"India's prosperity depends on that of the farmers. If the farmer of the country is prosperous, no one can stop India from becoming prosperous," he said.

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