Jammu, Apr 24: JKPCC Chief Vikar Rasool Wani today said that the Panchayat Raj is biggest gift of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to the people of the country.
“A fully empowered three tier Panchayat Raj system was the most revolutionary step of the Congress party under the leadership of Rajiv Gandhi in the history of the democracy of the country, thereby the power was transferred to the people at the grass root level besides ensuring the adequate representation of women, SCs and STs,” Wani said.
According to a press note, he welcomed a prominent leader and founder member of DPAP, and DDC Member from Frisal, district Kulgam Anyatullah Rathar into the Congress party. JKPCC Chief said that Rathar has chosen the occasion of Panchayat Raj Day, being himself associated with the Panchayat Raj system. His re-entry into the party will strengthen the Congress in the region, since he was long associated with the party and was district president also in the past.
Wani said that the biggest gift to the people after attaining freedom, was the introduction of 73rd And 74th amendment of the constitution by Late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi which gave constitutional status to the Panchayats and Urban bodies besides ensuring 33 percent reservation to the women and proportional representation to the SCs and STs in the three tiers Panchayat Raj System in the Country . He said that it was Narsimha Rao government which carried forward the amendments and implemented on this day in 1993.
