AJKPC hunger strike ends, 300 members court arrest

Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 10

The 168-hour-long hunger strike started by the All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) today ended with court arrest of over 300 sarpanches from different parts of J&K.

The protesting members were miffed with the alleged “indifferent and insensitive attitude” of the Centre and the J&K administration towards sarpanches and panches.

They also announced their second phase of agitation under which they said panchayat members would hold block-level protests across Jammu and Kashmir from December 20 to December 30.

On the last day of the hunger strike, the Director, Rural Development Department (RDD), Jammu, Sudershan Kumar visited the protesting sarpanches at the site of hunger strike and listened to various demands of AJKPC members.

During the interaction, the Director expressed his inability in fulfilling the major demands of by the AJKPC and said he would take up the matter with the higher authorities.

Agitated over the alleged “helplessness” expressed by the Director, RDD, the protesting sarpanches marched towards the Tawi bridge to block the traffic which was prevented by the police.

The protesters had a scuffle with the police. They were shifted to the District Police Lines, but were later released on surety bonds.

Earlier, senior sarpanches offered juice to the panchayat members, including AJKPC president Anil Sharma and Jitender Singh, to end their hunger strike.

The protesters have been demanding clearing Rs 1,000-crore MGNREGA liabilities, adequate security cover to panchayat leaders and enhancement of their monthly honorarium.

Sharma said they would hold block-level protests from December 20 to December 30 while they would submit memorandums to their respective deputy commissioners.