MP: Former CM Digvijaya Singh extends support to National Sarpanch Sangh demanding rights of Panchayati Raj System

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], October 1 (ANI): Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and Rajya Sabha MP Digivijaya Singh has extended his support to the National Sarpanch Sangh (M.P.) demanding rights of Panchayati Raj System and called for a road blockage if demands are not met.

Veteran Congress leader Singh’s office has also issued a video of him in which he extends support to the Sarpanch Sangh and requests CM Mohan Yadav and state minister for Panchayat Rural Development department, Prahlad Patel to act.

“Mahatma Gandhi had envisioned that through Panchayat Raj in our country, every person in the village should be given the right to control his resources, his future and to work collectively to fulfil it. With the same spirit, former Prime Minister Late Rajiv Gandhi had proposed a change in the Indian Constitution, which unfortunately the Bharatiya Janata Party did not allow to pass in the Rajya Sabha,” Digvijay Singh said

“Unfortunately, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated. After that former PM late P V Narasimha Rao fulfilled his dream. On the basis of that dream, when the first election was held in Madhya Pradesh, I was the Chief Minister here. In accordance with that spirit, I made amendments in the Madhya Pradesh Panchayati Raj and conducted the first election. I got reservation for women and gave rights to the Gram Sabha, Sarpanch, Block Panchayat, District Council President. Along with this, I tried to take the administration to the lower level in the village.

But the Bharatiya Janata Party messed up the entire system and today the Sarpanch has no rights,” the Congress leader added.

Digvijay Singh also said that if the demands are not met then from October 18 a 2-hour road blockade would be undertaken in every village.

“Therefore, we should support the demand made by the National Sarpanch Sangh, I fully support their proposal. I request everyone that on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti on October 2, we will submit the demand in the form of a memorandum to the secretaries of every Gram Panchayat across the state that the Chief Minister, wake up and give us the rights of Panchayats. Prahlad Patel is a minister, you have always supported the farmers and the people of the village, I request you to wake up too,” he said.

“If the demand is not met, then on October 18, we will block the main roads in every village for 2 hours from 12:00 to 2:00. During this time, if someone is going for some important work like marriage, illness or any emergency, then we will let him go,” he concluded.

On October 2, Singh will submit a memorandum to secretary of Gram Panchayat Satoriya along with the Panchayat representatives and local people of Satoriya village in Bina Tehsil, Sagar district in support of the state-wide demonstration National Sarpanch Sangh of MP Unit.

A circular of National Sarpanch Sangh states that Sarpanchs, Deputy Sarpanchs, Panchs and all the elected representatives of the three-tier Panchayat Raj system of all the 23000 Gram Panchayats in Madhya Pradesh are fighting for their rights, whose sole objective is to make the villages self-reliant and strong.

“To give momentum to their struggle, the National Sarpanch Sangh has prepared a movement outline in which from October 2 to October 10, Sarpanchs of all the Panchayats in the state will sit on dharna at every Gram Panchayat headquarters regarding our demands and will hand over a memorandum in the name of the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Leader of Opposition of the Legislative Assembly to the Gram Panchayat Secretary,” the cricular read.

“If the demands are not fulfilled within five days after submitting the memorandum, then in our next step, on October 18, there will be a Chakka Jam on the main roads at the Panchayat level. If our demands are still not considered by the government, then the National Sarpanch Sangh will organise Rail Roko and Jail Bharo movement at the district level,” it further added.