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| Aijaz Khan's PC on Roshni scam under cloud, ECI looking into violation of model code of conduct | | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
JAMMU, Mar 12: Congress is in for a major embracement as the press conferences addressed by Revenue Minister Aijaz Ahmed Khan over Roshni scam is being scrutinized for violation of model code of conduct (MCC) which came into force on March 5.
Provisions of model code of conduct do not allow a Minister to address a press conference and defend a Government's policy decision which has been questioned by Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. Not only has the Minister violated Model Code of Conduct by addressing a press conference but has breached the code by forcing the Department of Information to facilitate him in organizing the press conference which was attended by Aijaz Khan as well as Commissioner/Secretary Revenue, said officials in the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) Jammu.
According to provisions and guidelines of MCC, sources said that no Minister can summon an official in any part of the constituency for advertising or defending programmes and policies of Government when the model code of conduct is in force. They added that the press conference which was addressed by Revenue Minister Aijaz Khan alongwith Commissioner/Secretary Revenue in the afternoon of March 8 was seemingly aimed at dispelling the notion of Rs. 25, 000 crore scam in Roshni scheme.
"Since several national channels were running the news of Principal Accountant General (PAG) for J&K Subhash Chander Panday claiming Rs. 25, 000 crore loss to the state exchequer due to the wrongful implementation of the Roshni Scheme. The channels were purportedly putting the blame on Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad since the CAG had said that it was during his tenure that the rules of Roshni scheme were modified which later resulted in Roshni scheme miserably failing to deliver results on the expected lines," said the source.
"The press conference which was hurriedly called by the Revenue Minister has given an impression in the general public that it's sole motive to undo the damage which PAG had done by remarking that it was modification of rules which led to scam. Besides, Minister should not have called Revenue Secretary to attend the press conference and neither should have he got the handout issued by the Department of Information which is the sole publicity arm of the Government," added the official.
He stressed that the video-taps would be looked into and if it is found that the press conference has been held in breach of model code of conduct, action would be taken. Interestingly, officials in the Election Commission of India (ECI) which contacted by Early Times said, "If an officer was sitting in the press conference whose sole aim was to defend a Government decision and if it was covered by the publicity division of the State Government, action should be taken."
They added that guidelines do not allow an officer to accompany a Minister to a place where the aim is to highlight achievements of the party in power or a Minister or for that matter to defend a Government decision. "We believe in giving fair play field to both the opposition as well as the party in power. How could there be fair play if the officers accompany Ministers where Government decisions are to be defended and that too during the Lok Sabha elections," said the official.
He added "We would seek details from our people on ground. If it is found MCC has been violated, action would be taken." When Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Umang Narula was asked during One-day workshop to sensitize media on election related issues at Government Guest House, Gandhinagar; he said "Since the issue has been brought to my notice, I would look into it." He further said that no violation of model code of conduct would be tolerated. |
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