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| Rather pooh-poohs Governor's address | | 'It was dull election poster' | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Jan 8
All members of the legislative assembly, including the Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and his deputy Muzaffar Hussain Baig and others in the treasury benches were today left wanting for the answers when a fiery orator and leader of the Opposition National Conference Abdul Rahim Rather did 'surgery' of the Governor's address to the joint session in the legislature.
Participating in the discussion on motion of thanks to the Governor's address, the former Finance Minister and leader of Opposition Abdul Rahim Rather brought bouts of embarrassment for the government when he replied the mentioned made in the address point to point. Armed with details of the alleged failure of the government on many fronts, the leader of the opposition dealt with every point proving the address as imaginary.
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Deputy CM Muzaffar Baig were seen smiling when Rather described the Governor's address as "an election poster". Rather said, "since this was the address to the last session of the assembly, we were looking for an objective statement of facts from the Governor but his address turned out to be like an election poster". He added, "yes you have tried to make it an election poster but it is till very dull and poorly drafted. You should have consulted some advertising agency to make it colourful and enticing".
He said that whatever has been writing and said in the Governor's address is all what the public has been hearing for past five years but nothing like that visible on the grounds. He pointed out that description of figures pertaining to the finances coming from the center and their expenditure does not reflect anything which should hold some hope for the people.
The former Finance Minister made a pointed attack on the Chief Minister on the issue of sacking and then reinstating the Forest Minister Qazi Mohammad Afzal. Carrying all relevant copies of the newspapers and official statements issued by the Government, Rather reminded the Chief Minister that Qazi Mohammad Afzal was divested of the forest portfolio after it was publicly admitted that gross violations and misappropriations were going on in the department.
Asking the Chief Minister to explain his yard stick for eradication of corruption from the public life, Rather said, "the probe panel has found 20 scams in the department but still the Minister has been reinstated". He said that nothing can happen in the department without approval of the Minister concerned. "When nothing can happen without approval of the Minister why officers have been indicted and the Minister has been honoured by returning the Forest department to him", questioned the leader of the Opposition.
He also criticized the government for what he said making false claims on the education sector. He said though 40 new colleges have been opened but none of them has the staff and infrastructure.
Another NC leader Mian Altaf Ahmad demanded timely release of funds under tribal sub-plan and other schemes and said that all areas of the state be given due consideration in opening of new administrative units, colleges and upgradation of education and health institutions. He also demanded immediate implementation of the decisions taken in District Development Board meetings. |
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