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| NC, Congress ask their Privilege Committee members to attend Jan 22 meeting | | | ET Report
JAMMU, Jan 21: The issue of the retired Army chief Gen VK Singh's alleged contempt of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislature members, by saying in a television interview on September 23, 2013, that many of the State's Ministers had been receiving the Central secret funds since 1947, has stirred a hornets' nest in Kashmir, particularly among the National Conference leaders.
Perceived to be on VK Singh's side, the BJP has assumed sustained silence as the party has already given some indications of inducting back five of its dismissed members as a "fresh blood" in the party. On the other hand, Gen Singh too has given indications of his joining the BJP in near future.
Congress spoke independently on the issue during the prorogued session of the Legislature. Contrarily, the principal opposition party, PDP, and the ruling coalition giant National Conference, have gone proactive and outshouted each other while targeting and assailing Gen. Singh.
The PDP MLAs remained on their toes on the floor of the Assembly when Speaker Mubarak Gul announced that he would "summon" Gen. Singh to cause the latter's personal appearance before the House Committee on Privileges. Mr Gul had received a breach of privilege motion against Gen Singh from about a dozen of the NC MLAs including former Ministers. The PDP in fact stressed on Gen Singh's presence and oral clarification to his statements rather than an explanation by mail or courier.
It was only when the Speaker succumbed to the PDP's pressure that he announced to issue "summon, not letter" to Mr Singh. Some of the legislators in fact insisted that the retired Army chief may be brought "hand-cuffed" and subjected to interrogation of the Privilege Committee members.
However, there was no hue and cry and everybody sounded calm and composed when Speaker simply dispatched a letter and sought a written clarification from him. Mr Singh sent it by speed post, alongwith a compact disc of his controversial interview.
Days after, Chairman of Upper House Mr Amrit Malhotra referred an identical motion to the Council Privilege Committee. It directed Singh to appear before the members in Jammu on January 9. It was around this time that 'change of heart' became discernible in Congress and its senior leaders began lobbying that Gen Singh should neither be forced to appear in the meeting nor punished for his overtures and statements.
At least one attempt was made to deflate the whole issue by contending that Gen Singh's written clarification, as already sent to Speaker Assembly, be treated as his official response and he may be taken off the hook. But the absence of two Congress members, namely Ravinder Sharma and Ghulam Nabi Monga, on Jan 20, gave the NC an edge. Its member and complainant DS Rana succeeded to assert that Gen Singh be forced to be present as fixed earlier on Jan 22.
However, in a new twist, Congress on Tuesday silently and secretly issued a whip to both Sharma and Monga to cut short their study tour and return to Jammu on Jan 22 to attend the crucial meeting so that the NC does not fulfill its ambition of "humiliating" the former Army chief. Sources say that all the three of its members, including head of the panel, Jugal Kishore, would attend tomorrow's meeting.
On the other hand, the NC leadership has also directed all the three of its members of the privilege panel, DS Rana, who is also the complainant, Showkat Hussain Ganai and Ali Mohammad Dar, to be present. Wednesday's meeting would decide whether the NC was playing to the gallery of the separatists in Kashmir or was really concerned about the "dignity, sanctity and credibility" of the House.
In a related development, Speaker Gul has urgently taken out the motion and referred it to the House privilege committee today. |
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