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| Azad did outsmart Mehbooba, but what about financial implications? | | | ET Special Correspondent
Jammu | Sep 11
The Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, no doubt outsmarted PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, by announcing at women's convention at Srinagar, yesterday, in presence of the UPA Chairperson and Congress President, Sonia Gandhi, the raising of one battalion of J&K police exclusively for females. To impress upon Madam Sonia Gandhi, an ardent advocate of women's emancipation and empowerment as well as a large number of women activists gathered at Sher-e-Kashmir Convention Complex in the outskirts of the summer capital city of Srinagar, her deep concern for the well being of the fair sex, the PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, in her speech urged upon the Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, who was also present on the occasion, to enroll more girls in the police force. But Azad outsmarted Mehbooba nad took wind out of her sales by immediately announcing raising of an additional battalion, exclusively of females, in the J&K police. Recruitment of a thousand girls in the state in the police force while providing employment to a large number of young girls, will also be a great help in tackling crimes with the involvement of females as well as a right answer to the latest game plan of the militants to involve females in their nefarious activities. But the moot question is whether the financial implications in raising one additional battalion of police, comprising one thousand female cops have been worked out before making this announcement on the spur of moment to score a point over his rival. The state depends even for giving salaries to its employees on the financial help from the center and obviously the expenditure involved on raising one more battalion of state police will be borne by the centre and it is a matter of guess whether before making this announcement, J&K Chief Minister had taken the Union Home Minister, who was present there, in confidence.
This reminds the old timers of Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad's time as Prime Minister of the state, who during his tours of various areas in the state would on the spur of moment concede the demand made by the people in the area submitted, to him through representations, about up gradation of their schools, from primary level to middle and from middle to High standard. When asked later on about the financial implications of his announcement, Bakshi would remark that the only cost involved was repainting of the board outside the schools by changing from primary to middle and middle to high. The care for extra teachers and extra rooms, besides other infrastructure would be taken later on.
Contrary to the claims by a section of media that Sonia Gandhi during her visit to the summer capital of the state would take time of her busy schedule to resolve the crises facing the coalition government in the state, as a result of latest stand off between the Congress and the PDP, over Qazi episode, as was stated by Early Times nothing of the sort happened, despite Mehbooba Mufti's best efforts to present their side of the case before Madam Gandhi. Obviously the issue has been put in the cold storage for the time being and may wait the return of PDP President, former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed from his tour abroad. In the meanwhile and undeclared and uneasy truce between the two warring coalition partners appears to have been made. At least the two parties presented a facade of unity on the occasion, with leaders of both the parties throwing warm reception to the visiting guest and participating in the function, where Sonia Gandhi was the chief guest.
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