Kounsar Bashir
Ward members of Wanigam Payeen area of Pattan in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district have alleged that they received ‘death threats’ from the Sarpanch and another ward member of the said village for questioning them over his decision of using machinery instead of labourers for construction work.
While talking to The Kashmiriyat over phone, Mohammad Yousuf Khan, the ward member of Wanigam Payeen area of Pattan, Baramulla said that the road from Manznine to Padshadaji (Orchard land) in Wanigam Payeen was under construction under MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employement Gurantee Act) which used labourers but the Sarpach (Mohammad Afzal Najar) used machinery for construction, instead.
“We came to know around 10 p.m. that our Sarpanch and another ward member Bashir Ahmad Bhat has started work with machines out there. Irshad Ahmad and I, took along another person, and asked them the reason behind using machines,” Khan told The Kashmiriyat.
“They told us that the Block Department had sent the machines. We, then, asked them if department had to send the machines, then why not during the day, and why during the night?
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” Khan said
“That is when they threatened us. Bashir Ahmad held me with my muffler and tried to strangle me but Irshad Ahmad and the other person who had accompanied us came to rescue and called the police,” alleged Khan, adding, “Bashir Ahmad told me that he was going to kill me some day.”
“The police party headed by SHO Kreeri came and seized the machine,” he said.
Khan also alleged that the Sarpanch, who is also an advocate, threatened them saying “I will erase your existence.” He said that whatever happened that night has left him in utter stress and worry.
“We have also sent application to BDO Pattan about the case,” he told The Kashmiriyat.
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), also known as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) is an Indian legislation enacted on August 25, 2005.
The MGNREGA provides a legal guarantee for one hundred days of employment in every financial year to adult members of any rural household willing to do public work-related unskilled manual work at the statutory minimum wage.
The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD), Govt of India monitors the entire implementation of this scheme in association with state governments.
Another ward member of the said village, Irshad Ahmad, while talking to The Kashmiriyat said that he was home when he suspected that a JCB was heading towards Manznine – Padshadaji.
“I called the other two persons, including a panch, and we stopped them from working. We, then, saw Mohammad Afzal Najar, who started threatening us that he would kill us,” claimed Ahmad, also adding, “Bashir Ahmad Bhat tried to strangle Mohammad Yousuf Khan when we were talking with them.”
If the other person accompanying us had not called SHO and DSP the situation would have gone out of control, said Ahmad.
“The duo had their own relatives registered in MGNREGA and the money got transferred in their accounts because it is easier for them to withdraw money from their own relatives. They had made illegal job copies of their relatives,” claimed Ahmad.
We are grateful to the SHO and DSP Kreeri for their immediate action in the case, who also assured that if anything happens again we can reach them for help, he said.
Meanwhile, The Kashmiriyat tried to reach SHO Kreeri over phone but he didn’t respond to our calls and texts.