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| Aspiring Home Minister lobbies against Army's firing range | | | Hyder Ali
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Apr 3: A Peoples Democratic Party leader, who aspires to be Home Minister in the second innings of the Government to be sworn in on April 4, is "lobbying" against the establishment of Army's firing range in Bandipora district.
Though the first innings of the coalition saw him as a minster, who allegedly cooked up controversies every next day in the department he headed, pushing the government servants to take to streets, this time he eyes bigger.
Even though in Jammu and Kashmir there has been precedence that the Chief Minister retains the Home portfolio, this time the convention is likely to break as the new dispensation looks ahead for alternatives. As Chief Minister designate, Mehbooba Mufti is likely to hold multiple portfolios in the new government, there's a possibility that she may assign the crucial assignment to some close-aide.
Early Times learnt from reliable sources that this PDP leader has been lobbying hard to get Home Deptt. "Though he has been pretending that he was not interested in getting any ministry, in reality he has been trying hard for the same," PDP insiders said.
They said the aspirant pleads his elevation by "blowing out of proportions a simple anecdote that the then Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed would at times seek his advise on law and order issues or that he would directly interact with some police officials." "But his was nothing exceptional, Mufti Sahib didn't mind to seek advice from his Council of Ministers," the PDP insiders said.
Sources said the leader through his personal contacts including some "loyalist government servants", is trying to mobilize resources to oppose the move of establishment of the firing range in the area, which he looks ahead as vote bank. Leave apart how "rightwing BJP will react to any such move", there's a growing criticism within PDP against him being given the key charge. "He is an egoistic person, last year he pushed thousands of government employees to streets only out of ego problem," said a PDP leader asking not to be identified.
A popular joke trending in the PDP circles is that if he becomes the Home Minister most of the grassroots workers will end up behind the bars. "In the past he has even been intolerant even towards some journalists only to set personal scores with them, so giving him Home Minister's chair will be suicidal for the party," some PDP leaders said .
It is understood that the BJP leadership is in know of the ambitions of the PDP leader. The party is likely to oppose his elevation as the Home Minister for obvious reasons. "Such people of double standards must clear their position. You cannot be a beneficiary of every season, on every side," a senior mainstream leader told Early Times.
The Jammu and Kashmir Government is mulling over giving Tragbal meadows in Bandipora district to the Army for setting up an artillery firing range in lieu of the Tosa Maidan field firing range.
The proposal to hand over Tragbal meadows came after the State Government faced some criticism for allowing the Army to set up an artillery firing range at Bajpathri.
The Army had sought notification of the Bajpathri meadows for setting up a field firing range after the previous government headed by the then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah refused to extend lease of the adjacent meadow of Tosa Maidan for its use as a firing range on April 18, 2014. |
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