Under siege

But militant violence may not be the only reason for the weakening of the panchayat in the state. Over the last year,in spite of its repeated assurances,the Omar Abdullah government has consistently refused to devolve more powers to panchayats,which could allow them to control more funds and have a say in a larger spectrum of sectors. From the start,the panchayats have been buffeted by resistance from both sides the government as well as militants and separatist forces. MPs and MLAs view the panchayats,elected on a non-party basis,as competition. A 10-member committee appointed by the state government to look into the matter of empowering panchayats is said to have recommended a bill that would limit their powers further. To separatist leaders and militants,panchayats represent mainstream political forces inimical to their agenda. Twenty-three years of militancy have displaced traditional political structures at the village level. The elections of 2011 marked their potential rehabilitation.

The panchayat polls,like the successful 2009 assembly elections before them,were fought largely on conflict-neutral issues. Water supply,employment and rural development featured on the list of electoral promises. Yet any attempt to change the subject from insurgency has been greeted by fresh bursts of violence from militants anxious to revive a flagging agenda. And the panchayats,denied a secure foothold in the political system and fast losing public support as they have limited powers to fulfil their electoral promises,have become soft targets in this backlash.