Akshay Azad
Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 26: Is there any under construction Ganpat bridge in district Doda of Saudi Arabia? This question may appear weird as there are bleak possibilities that District Doda of Jammu and Kashmir along with 'famous' Ganpat bridge, both exist in Saudi Arabia also but a Congress party legislator GM Saroori inspected the construction work of bridge on August 25, notwithstanding the fact that the legislator is on annual Haj pilgrimage since August 19.
The news report carried by a section of media on August 25, mentioned about MLA Inderwal GM Saroori's visit of Ganpat bridge, who enquired about the status of the bridge, which is scheduled to be completed in October 2016 but as per the reports from District Kishtwar and District Doda, legislator GM Saroori was on annual Haj pilgrimage since August 19.
District Development Commissioner Kishtwar, Gulam Nabi Balwan said that only nine people of district were selected for pilgrimage and MLA Saroori, and his wife were among the pilgrims.
When Incharge SHO Doda, Ahmad Ullah Khan was asked about the visit of MLA Saroori of Ganpat bridge on August 25, he feigned ignorance about the visit and said that legislator was not here on August 25.
Adding more to confusion, another newspaper report was published in a section of media on August 21, in which MLA Saroori had reportedly visited various areas of sub-division Chatroo and had reviewed various schemes of Social Welfare department. In the news report, District Social Welfare Officer Chatroo, Phulail Singh was also reportedly present along with MLA.
Surprisingly, when DSW Officer Chatroo, Phulail Singh was contacted, he said that he was called by MLA Saroori in a meeting in Mugal Maidan on August 12. "On August 12, I had a meeting with MLA Saroori but on August 21 when the news report was published, I am unaware", he said.
While criticizing, a Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) worker of Inderwal Altaf Hussain said that the workers of MLA have been befooling the masses by sending fake press releases. "An FIR must be lodged against the MLA and action must be taken against those responsible for sending fake press-releases", he demanded.
Chief Spokesperson of Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Ravinder Raina said that the press releases were not being send by Congress party. "As per our information MLA Saroori is on Haj pilgrimage. We cannot monitor all our leaders, who have been sending press releases on their own", he said, adding that probably, some workers might have been sending press releases.
Both the phone numbers of MLA Saroori were switched off.
A brief investigation of the news reports revealed that press releases have been issued by a personal Public Relation Officer (PRO) of MLA Saroori, who is also running a page on Facebook under title, "Saroori office", and has been updating the same releases.
Surprisingly, on August 26 also the same official page, "Saroori office", on Facebook updated another news report on 5:40 PM, under title, "DC, Saroori flags off Hajj pilgrims from Kishtwar. Interacted with the pilgrims at Thathri and Batote." Moreover photographs of MLA Saroori and DC Doda, flagging off the buses were also updated, which was totally false as DC himself has admitted that MLA is on Haj pilgrimage from August 19.
"It is still unclear as why the PRO of MLA's have been befooling the masses by showing him present in the state, when he is in Saudi Arabia", another BJP worker said, adding that Ganpat Bridge is in district Doda and not in the constituency or district of MLA Inderwal and inspection of Ganpat bridge construction work by Saroori was beyond comprehension but best known to him or his trusted lieutenants.
The official page GM Saroori, didn't reply to the message forwarded by this correspondent on the Facebook, even after checking the message at 5:01 PM. |
