It was not long after the people of Jammu and Kashmir had heaved a sigh of relief after the recent Panchayat elections, that the militancy is once again threatening the very existence of this institution.
It is said that after militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad circulated threatening posters asking Panchs and Sarpanchs to publish their resignations in newspapers, more than 400 Panchayat members in south Kashmir have resigned during the last three weeks.
The panchs and sarpanch were asked to resign in a week’s time and also to publish their resignation in newspapers. The warning was followed by a spate of resignations by the Panchayat members and advertisements started appearing in the newspapers. However the government has not officially received any resignation.
Investigations are underway to see if the poster threat is some foul play under the grab of militancy. Police has also beefed up security to instill confidence among the people.
Panchayat elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir last year after a gap of more than three decades and despite boycott calls and threats issued by militants, the polls saw a record turnout of over 80 per cent.