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| 'Jehadi' businessman shifts loyalties for his under construction mall | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Oct 8: Apprehending sealing of his under construction shopping mall in Raj Bagh locality here, a prominent businessman who had otherwise trained guns against government during the ongoing unrest has suddenly changed colors and has come forward in support of the ruling coalition.
The businessman, as per insiders, had emerged as a champion of separatist sentiment and would frequently meet Hurriyat leaders like Syed Ali Geelani saying that he was willing to "spend Rs 10 crores on the agitation."
In a bid to take lead over other business federations, he constituted his own forum and started issuing statements against the government and wanted to keep the pot of boiling.
Sources said a main aim of his fueling the unrest was to kill two birds with a stone. "One, he wanted to emerge as a business leader and strong voice in private schools association. Two, taking advantage of the unrest he started construction of a huge mall in Raj Bagh at a site where he was being refused any legal building permission," said his close aides working at the construction site, where work is on, round-the-clock.
Sources said in July soon after the unrest erupted the businessman approached a top official of Srinagar Municipal Corporation and allegedly fixed a deal of Rs 70 lakhs so that the SMC remains silent over illegal construction on the busy road.
Happy to get huge kickbacks, the SMC officials had told the businessman that they would remain silent but that protests should continue as otherwise the construction would grab attention of VIPs, particularly Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for housing, Dr Nirmal Singh, who drives down the same road while his weekly travel to Srinagar airport.
The SMC officials told the businessman that he could successfully complete the multi-storied construction only till protests last in Srinagar.
After going for the "shady deal", the businessman immediately started construction work and also started doing the rounds of residences of Geelani and other separatist leaders, to "defend the agitation and to offer his full support to the cause."
But around a fortnight back, there came a twist in the story. The same businessman started telling representatives of business establishments and private schools to support some particular ministers in the state government. He also convinced an association of private schools not to issue any statement against government announcement of date-sheet for exams as "his family too owns a school."
While some in business fraternity were puzzled on what had brought the change in the "Jehadi", it came to fore that a lawmaker from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party had got to know about the illegal construction and informed the his coterie in the government about the same.
In no time, the issue was picked up with SMC Commissioner, who was directed to send a team and seal the illegal construction of the "businessman turned separatist leader."
"The SMC officials were told that if the building is not sealed it would be deemed true that they have grabbed huge kickbacks," the sources said.
The moment SMC team reached the spot, the businessman was informed about the government plan to seal the illegal complex.
The businessman got unnerved and reached out to some senior PDP leaders. Some of the PDP leaders, who have been looking for ways and means to "prove their loyalty" before the party high command asked the businessmen to work for them. In return his problem was solved. The sources said SMC was asked to let the illegal work go on.
For over a fortnight, the businessman has been "speaking pro-PDP tune" but as per the dictations of his masters who also want him to issue statements against some of their rivals in the government. "He is now a puppet, who is even used to issue statements against government on issues where this coterie disagrees," the sources added.
But other genuine businessman who have been neutral during the Kashmir unrest said government should not rely on turncoats.
The pro-India businessmen said the government was victimizing only those who don't resort to politics. "Those who are resorting to politics, enjoy," they said. |
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