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| Year after Aag Ka Dariya… | | On anniversary, Azad prays in Mecca | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Nov 2
This day last year, when the present coalition government completed its four years and the Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad completed his one year, the occasion was marked with celebrations all over the state, public meetings and photo-exhibitions of developmental works.
At the main official function held at the majestic Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Hall, on the banks of Dal Lake on November 2, 2005, the Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad shared his experience in the following verse –Yeh Isq Nahin Assan, Ek Aag Ka Darya Hai Aur Doob Ke Chale Jaana Hai. He summed up the problems of Jammu and Kashmir ranging from corruption to conflict to unemployment in this famous couplet to the thunderous applause of the audience.
Interestingly, this year no celebrations, no public meetings and no photo exhibitions to mark the occasion. Not even the couplet to describe the situation. The Chief Minister, this time around, has preferred to seek spiritual solace and is off to Saudi Arabia.
An official spokesman of the Chief Minister said, "on the day he completed two years in office, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today offered Friday prayers in Masjid-ul-Haram, the holiest mosque of Muslims in the world in Makkah, and prayed for welfare of the people and return of complete peace and normalcy in Jammu & Kashmir".
Azad who is currently on Umrah pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, coincided the completion of two years of his government in Jammu & Kashmir today with offering special prayers at the Islam's Grandest Mosque for an end to the sufferings of the people due to long turmoil and return of normalcy and peace in Jammu & Kashmir. He asked for Allah's blessings for the people and the State and prayed for the eternal peace to the thousands who were killed during the past 18 years in the senseless violence.
Accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Shamim Azad, the Chief Minister performed the Umrah three days back and then proceeded to Medina to pay obeisance at the mausoleum of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and offer prayers in Masjid-e-Nabvi (SAW).
On his return from Medina today, the Chief Minister offered the Friday prayers in Masjid-ul-Haram today.
The Chief Minister is scheduled to return to New Delhi on Sunday and would attend office on November 5, on the first day of the opening of civil secretariat and move offices at Jammu in connection with the biennial office move to the winter capital.
Interestingly with the Chief Minister being away on the day, neither his party colleagues, cabinet colleagues and nor any one from the alliance partners Peoples Democratic Party showed up to mark the occasion in any manner. Not even a customary statement has been released by any leaders to describe how the five years of the government or two years of Ghulam Nabi Azad as Chief Minister have been.
The opposition National Conference, though, did some ceremonial work to issue a statement on the occasion. The National Conference accused the Congress-PDP coalition of being inefficient and unable to utilise central funds for development of the state.
"Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad himself admitted during a function at Kashmir University that he (state) has got around Rs 5,000 crore but has not been able to spend even Rs 100 crore," leader of opposition in state assembly Abdul Rahim Rather said.
Rather said the Centre has been given liberal funding to the state in the shape of desired plan funds and extending centrally sponsored schemes with the condition that the state government forward project proposals and a utilisation certificate for the same.
But the state government has not been able to do the needful and funds worth billions have been stopped in the absence of utilisation of funds by the state government, he alleged. |
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