BHOPAL : Despite the district administration denying permission for demonstration at the TT Nagar Dussehra Maidan, thousands of Panchayat office-bearers (sarpanchs and panchs) held a massive rally at the venue on Wednesday in support of their sole demand-implementation of the Panchayats Act 1992, which gives financial powers to Panchayat functionaries. Hundreds of Panchayat office-bearers, who were on their way to the rally venue from different parts of the state, were stopped at entry points of the city. They decried the administration’s dictatorial attitude.
Police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the protesters and arrested them. As per the administration, 1215 persons were arrested. Police had to face stiff opposition from the agitators when they were arrested. The administration had got tents removed from the Maidan on Tuesday night itself. The leaders of the organisation of Panchayat office-bearers said that thousands of agitators had arrived in the city the previous night itself, despite deployment of heavy police force. All prominent leaders including DP Dhakad, Munidra Tiwari, Abhay Mishra and others were arrested. They have started hunger strike in Jail, protesting release of half of the agitators.
They are demanding that if the administration wants to release them, it should release all of them. Now, the Panchayat office-bearers will hold a rally in Delhi on January 26, 2016 and before it, they will hold decentralisation rallies at district and tehsil levels in the state on November 1-the Foundation Day of Madhya Pradesh.
ADM BS Jamod said, “Everything went off peacefully. The Panchayat office-bearers reached the Dussehra Maidan despite the administration’s ban.
We have arrested 1215 Panchayat office-bearers as they were not having permission for any kind of assembly or demonstration. Heavy police force was deployed to avoid any untoward incident.
Govt is dictatorial: Abhay Mishra
Rewa District Panchayat chief Abhay Mishra, who was suspended from the primary membership of the BJP for six years on Tuesday said, “It is dictatorship of the state government. We were not allowed to hold rally in the state capital in support of our genuine demand-implementation of Panchayat Act 1992. It is our right and we will continue to fight for it. The Act has been implemented in many states in the country.”
Holding protests is fundamental right: Medha Patkar
NBA leader Medha Patkar said, “The government action is not justified. Everyone has the fundamental right to hold protest demonstrations and rallies. The administration had earlier given permission to them but later cancelled it. This is patently wrong. Defying the ban, the Panchayat office-bearers managed to reach TT Nagar Dussehra Maidan and held the rally. It is an achievement for them.”
