‘The bureaucracy ought to reciprocate to the demands of public representatives’
Srinagar, May 29: Apni Party Youth Provincial President Jammu Gourav Kapoor on Saturday rushed to Srinagar to extend his solidarity with the Mayor SMC and Apni Party State Youth President Junaid Azim Mattu who along with other corporators of the Corporation are on hunger strike.
In his meeting with Mr Mattu and other Corporators, Kapoor expressed his solidarity with them on behalf of the Party’s Youth Wing Jammu chapter.
In a statement issued here, Kapoor said that the peaceful sit-ins and hunger strikes are a powerful method to register public resentment in a democratic society.
“The situation here is extremely collusive. The public representatives are being shackled under a well-spiraled bureaucratic hegemony which ultimately is hitting the interests of the general public,” he remarked.
He said that his immediate visit from Jammu to Srinagar was aimed to show solidarity with the Mayor SMC and other Corporators who have shown their mettle with this protest as they have unstintingly raised the flambeau of democracy.
“This protest symbolises that elected representatives can never be hoodwinked or bamboozled as their strength is drawn from the precious votes of the citizens of this great nation,” he said.
Besides Gaurav Kapoor, Apni Party Youth Provincial President Kashmir Khalid Rathore along with District Organiser Srinagar Parvez Ahmad, Youth Leader Amir, Youth Leader Adil, Youth Leader Sharik and Youth leader Asim also visited the SMC representatives.
Khalid Rathore said that the elected representatives are answerable to the people on grassroots level. The hegemonic attitude of the bureaucracy in SMC in regards with redressing the public grievances has forced them to go on hunger strike.
“Being a public representative is not an easy task. A public representative has to meticulously coordinate between the bureaucratic strata and the people. If the bureaucracy tries to censor the authority of elected representatives then it’s the time when we should start worrying about basic democratic principles,” he observed.
Afterwards, the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Pandurang K Pole visited the SMC representatives on behalf of Chief Secretary J&K and assured them that the issue will be addressed promptly. Thereafter, the Mayor along with other members called off the protest.
