J&K: Some DDC members willing to resign due to govt's indifference, claims Mehbooba Mufti

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday claimed that a group of DDC members in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir have offered their resignation citing government indifference and not being allowed to tour their constituencies on security grounds since the election last year.

Mufti posted on Twitter a video of the disgruntled District Development Council (DDC) members from the central Kashmir district which was purportedly shot on Eid-ul-Fitr last week.

“Detaining DDC members from Budgam since 7 months in the name of security defeats the purpose of their election. Held against their will, admin has also prevented them from touring their constituencies. They are so fed up that they have offered to resign @OfficeOfLGJandK,” Mufti said in a tweet.

In the video, the members said the government has no plans for them and they were not being allowed to visit their constituencies.

“It is unfortunate that we are living under detention since the past seven months. We are far away from our families and the education of our children has also suffered. The government has not paid us any salary so far,” one of the members said.

They offered their resignation from the council to which they were elected last year.

“If the government has no plans for us, then please accept our resignation… Those who do not want any security, want to live in their homes, and are ready to give an undertaking should be allowed to go. This will also save the government some money,” they said.

The members said they needed to visit their constituencies to help the people in need.

“If we cannot help the people in the times of natural disasters or fire incidents, then what good are we? In that case, it is better that the government accepts our resignation,” they said.

Another member of the group said it was unfortunate that they were not allowed to move out even on Eid.

“It is unfortunate that today is Eid and even prisoners are allowed to celebrate it with their families, but we, who are called public representatives, are not allowed,” the member said in the video.

Meanwhile, officials said the DDC members have been put up in cluster accommodations for their security and they were not detained.

“There is a security threat and that is why they have been put up at secure accommodations. They are free to go wherever they want to, but have to follow proper SOPs like they have to inform the police in advance about their visit or whatever their need is,” officials said.