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| 'In interest of democracy', Imran Ansari endorses opposition MLA complaints | | Calls of District Board meet for Bandipora | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Apr 21: In a dramatic development, senior Peoples Democratic Party leader and Sport Minister Imran Raza Ansari on Saturday voluntarily called off midway, the District Development Board meeting 2018-19 for Bandipora District.
Officials said "it's for the first time in the history of Kashmir" that the chairperson of a board meeting willfully abandoned the meet "saying if the lawmakers are not satisfied, such a board meeting is sham."
Officials said as the meeting commenced at the Banquet Hall in the summer capital of Srinagar this morning, the lawmakers from three constituencies-Bandipora, Gurez and Sonawari questioned the draft of the district plan and said they were not satisfied with the document.
The lawmakers while raising eyebrows on the draft added that they were never taken onboard for the preparation of the document, which will influence the developmental activities in the district.
The lawmakers also questioned holding of the meeting outside the district. Interestingly none of MLAs who made complaints belong to the ruling PDP.
Sources said Ansari was patiently listening go the lawmakers from the opposition and subsequently questioned the official machinery if the complaints were genuine.
As the officials admitted the "lacunae", the minister plunged into thought for a moment. And, after taking a deep breath, his reply shocked the meeting. "When the concerned lawmakers, who are elected by the people, are not convinced with the draft plan and have not been consulted properly, what will be the fate of democracy in such a situation, and what can be the end product of such a meeting. This is Sham. Let's call it a day," Ansari said and stood up to leave the venue.
Insiders said all the three MLAs looked visibly satisfied at the decision of the board meeting chairman. "We thought he would argue but to our shock he accepted their complaints," a senior official said.
Sources said the news spread like wildfire in PDP circles that Ansari endorsed the complaints made by opposition MLAs. "Why should PDP minister abort the meeting for a district where none of the lawmakers who complained belong to our party? The complaints were from opposition MLAs, why should our minister be concerned about them. This well set a bad precedence in politics," a PDP leader told Early Times. He said some PDP ministers have informed the Chief Minister about Ansari's "shocking move."
While Ansari was not available for comments, his secretary confirmed about the development. "Yes Sahib (called off) the meeting midway as he found it 'sham'. But then there was no politics, it was done in the interest of the democracy," the official told Early Times. |
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