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| Petitioner Rana likely to be dropped from committee, NC reduced to minority | | Privilege against ex-Army Chief goes into oblivion! | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
JAMMU, Feb 16: National Conference (NC) which has been demanding issuance of non-bailable warrants against ex-Army Chief Gen. V.K.Singh is likely to be reduced to minority in the Legislative Council's Privileges Committee.
Sources said that Provincial President of National Conference and close aide of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Devinder Singh Rana is likely to be dropped from the privilege committee, as and when the committee meets again. Being complainant, sources in the State Legislative Council said that Rana should not have been originally included in the committee when it was constituted.
When Congress MLC and spokesman of the party Ravinder Sharma pointed out during the January 22, 2013 meeting that rules do not permit six members in privilege committee, Chairman of the committee Jugal Kishore Sharma immediately referred the issue for decision and ruling to Chairman of the council Amrit Malhotra. Ravinder had said that under Rule 257 of Rules of Procedure of House, LCPC should have only five members as against the present six and, therefore, the composition of the Committee itself was illegal.
The six members of committee included chairman Jugal Kishore Sharma, Ravinder Sharma, Ghulam Nabi Monga from Congress and Ali Mohammed Dar, Showkat Ganai, Devinder Singh Rana from NC. Jugal had then urged the Chairman to give a ruling on the query raised by Ravinder Sharma. Though the Chairman Amrit Malhotra is yet to communicate formally exclusion of Devinder Rana but it has been reliably learnt that Rana would be dropped, leaving Showkat and Ali Mohammed Dar from NC in the Legislative Council Privilege Committee (LCPC).
Sources further said that exclusion of Devinder Rana would leave NC in minority in the committee, paving way for safe passage for ex-Army Chief. What makes Rana's ouster interesting is that on January 22 i.e.25 days ago, NC wanted issuance of non-bailable warrants against ex-Army Chief. NC members led by Rana had staged a walkout from the proceedings in protest and demanded issuance of non-bailable warrant against Gen Singh for non-appearance.
Rana had said "I and my colleagues walked out of the meeting. We sought non-bailable warrant for Gen V K Singh to present him before the House." Lashing out at Congress, he had further said "The committee was in operation for last over one year. Why has Ravinder Sharma (Congress) suddenly found it illegal? We will discuss the matter in the Party (NC) and chalk out further course of action."
However, NC has preferred to maintain complete silence over the issue after Congress gave statements in favour of ex-Army Chief, saying that action against ex-Army Chief would mean degrading the institution of army. The eagerness to see action against Gen V.K.Singh being initiated by the legislative council has seemingly gone missing for the reasons better known to the NC provincial president.
On December 9, 2014 the committee had asked Singh to appear in person before it on January 9 to explain his position on allegations that politicians in the state were paid by the army. Singh did not appear, forcing the committee to issue second summons for his appearance before the panel on January 22 but he failed to appear again.
JKNPP Chief Prof. Bhim Singh came up with a letter, assuring that he would come on some other day as specified by the committee. NC refused to accept the letter and said that non-bailable warrants should be issued against Gen. V.K.Singh. After January 22, the enthusiasm seems to have gone missing. The privilege motion against Singh was moved by MLCs Ajay Sadhotra, Devinder Rana and Khalid Najeeb Suhrawardy in the last session of the Council taking cognisance of his allegations. |
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