NC-Cong cannot be trusted to empower Panchayat in JK: BJP

"NC-Congress leaders cannot be trusted as they neither have any policy, nor any intention, to empower Panchayats. They are actually against making the Panches and Sarpanches empowered with all the tools of empowerment," state BJP General Secretary, Ashok Koul said on a visit to various hilly areas of Jammu region today.

He said the two parties cannot be trusted when they say they will implement the 73rd amendment in Jammu and Kashmir to empower Panchayats, he said.

The 73rd amendment to the Constitution grants constitutional status to elected rural local bodies.

Koul said NC and Congress leaders could have easily empowered Panchayats after the Panchayat elections two years ago.

He claimed that the state government is "anti-people" and "anti-Panches and Sarpanches" as NC and Congress leaders have opposed security, financial benefits and empowerment to the Panchayats.