Omar says will go ahead with empowering panchayats

Chief minister Omar Abdullah entered into a verbal duel with opposition leaders over the issue of panchayat as the autumn session of the assembly came to a close today in Srinagar.

Chief minister Omar Abdullah entered into a verbal duel with opposition leaders over the issue of panchayat as the autumn session of the assembly came to a close on Wednesday in Srinagar.

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"When we started holding elections for the panchayats, we did not keep any reservations for any class anywhere across the state. At that time, you did not open your mouth and now you are agitating unnecessarily, simply because you wanted to play to the galleries," shouted angry Omar at opposition leaders.

Earlier, Jammu-based parties, Panthers Party and the rival factions of the BJP, indulged in ruckus in the house seeking reservations for backward classes and women in the panchayat.

"You are not well-wisher of SC/ST. You are scared of panchayat empowerment. It is your weakness. We are determined to empower panchayats," Omar told the agitating Pathers Party head Harshdev Singh.

Singh's MLA flocked to the well over the issue and disrupted the overall functioning of the assembly.

Speaker Akbar Lone's repeatedly requests failed to pacify the agitating members, who accused the coalition partner Congress of surrendering over the issue of 73rd and 74th amendments in the state Panchayati Act.

Congress MLA Jehangir Mir, however, told the agitating MLAs that the Congress has shifted in appraoch. "We are satisfied with the response of rural development minister Ali Mohammad Sagar, who said the spirit of the particular amendment would be envisaged in the state law," said Mir.