Jammu, Nov 8: Jammu and Kashmir government is not fulfilling its constitutional obligations by failing to provide security cover to the Panchayat members in the state, the BJP said today.
 "It is the responsibility of state government to provide security to Panchayat members. By publicly expressing its inability to do so, the state government is abdicating its constitutional obligation," BJP state chief spokesperson Jitendra Singh told reporters here.
 "The state has sufficient mechanisms in place to determine the threat perception of individual Sarpanchs and Panchs, and if there is any lack of resources, it can seek the assistance of Union Home Ministry as it has been doing in the past to arrange personal security cover for its Ministers and Chief Minister," he said.
 The BJP leader claimed that Sarpanchs and Panchs in the state have become a victim of 'dual' vulnerability.
 "They are under constant threat from terrorist organizations, while at the same time they have become a target of public wrath and resentment due to their inability to deliver due to lack of empowerment in the absence of implementation of 73rd and 74th Amendments of the Constitution," Singh added.
 The reluctance of Jammu and Kashmir government to implement the 73rd and 74th amendments, has put the previous lives of Panchayat members at stake, he said.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 8 Nov 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 8 Nov 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 9 Nov 2012 00:00:00 IST