Kunal Shrivatsa
JAMMU, Jan 20: As the Privilege Committee of the Legislative Council (LC) today reaffirmed its stand on summoning former Army Chief General VK Singh on January 22 for his pay-off allegations, the latter, it seems, is showing 'scant respect' to the Upper House of the State Legislature.
Sources informed Early Times that an informal meeting of the Privilege Committee was convened here today at Legislative Council Secretariat under the chairmanship of Congress MLC Jugal Kishore Sharma.
National Conference legislators, Devender Singh Rana, Ali Mohammad Dar and Showkat Hussain Ganai were also present in the meeting while other two members of the Committee Congress MLCs Ravinder Sharma and Ghulam Nabi Monga were absent due to some personal reasons.
The agenda of the meeting was largely to discuss the reply of General Singh addressed to LC panel which was submitted by him through his representative to Legislative Council Chairman Amrit Malhotra.
At the same time, the purpose of holding the meeting was to have detailed discussion on issues to be taken up on January 22 when ex- Army Chief General VK Singh was asked to appear in person before it to clear his position on pay-off allegations, sources said adding that summons as issued to Singh stands in place.
Sources, however, said that General Singh's reply, dated 06-01-2014, perhaps has turned the tide against him since the Congress members, who were otherwise believed to be lobbying to get the summons revoked, had left with no other option but to toe its coalition partner National Conference's line to summon him on January 22.
After deliberating the contents of the letter, the members felt that General Singh has taken the Legislative Council for granted as he not only addressed the letter to the officer of the rank of Additional Secretary but also responded through his advocate.
"The casual manner in which the former Army chief responded to the Breach of Privilege notice has infuriated the Committee members as VK Singh instead of issuing a reply on his own preferred to take the route through his counsel, Advocate Vishwajeet Singh," sources added.
"He (General Singh) is trying to demean the prestige of a democratic institution…. If he can address the letter on his own behalf to the Speaker Legislative Assembly on similar issue why he failed to act on same lines while responding to the panel constituted by the Upper House," they added.
Sources further said the contents of General Singh's letter also went against him as in his reply he referred that a Compact Disc (CD) was enclosed along with a reply to Speaker Legislative Assembly which could be obtained from the Lower House to view it.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council took strong exception to General Singh's 'pay off' allegations and both Houses referred the issue to respective Privilege Committees who in turn summoned ex Army Chief to clear his stand.
Subsequently, ex-Army chief Gen Singh, submitted his reply to Legislative Assembly Speaker Mubarak Gul on November 19 and requested him to quash the proceedings against him.
However, General Singh on January 9 failed to appear before the Privilege Committee of the Legislative Council after LC panel on December 8, last year summoned Ex Army chief on the basis of a privilege motion moved against him in the Upper House of the legislature in October last year, by three NC MLCs including leader of the House Ajay Sadhotra, Devender Singh Rana and Khalid Najib Suhrawardy. |
