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| Mantri under scanner for attack on SMC officers | | Infighting in PDP hits new low | | Early Times Report
srinagar, Feb 23: Even as the Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation Riyaz Ahmed and other senior officers of the civic body had a narrow escape following attack on them during anti-encroachment drive in the city center on February 22, role of a minister from the ruling People's Democratic Party is under scanner, hinting at internal rivalry within PDP.
Sources said the pavement vendors, who attacked the officials enjoy patronage of a minister, and that "the attack was executed to teach the Commissioner SMC a lesson."
Sources said the attackers, "loyal to the minister", had been in constant touch with him and that it was at his behest that they took liberty to attack officials having magisterial powers. "Commissioner SMC and the Joint Commissioner both have magisterial powers and still they were attacked as a part of the deep rooted conspiracy," said a PDP leader from south Kashmir.
Sources said the minister, who is accused of having patronized the pavement vendors in areas like Hari Singh High Street is not in good terms with the SMC Commissioner, as the latter is a close relative of some senior PDP leaders from South Kashmir.
"Basically the kind of dictations Mantri Ji would give to the previous SMC Commissioners are not entertained by this Commissioner for the later is equally well connected in the corridors of power and thus doesn't entertain any undue political interferences in his work," the PDP sources said.
Sources said in a bid to settle political scores with his rivals in the party, especially those from South Kashmir, the minister wants to create a scene over crackdown on the illegal pavement vendors in Srinagar.
A police official said despite High Court orders the administration was unable to get rid of pavement vending in busy areas like Hari Singh High Street due to the "influence the pavement vendors enjoy of the mantri."
"This mantri ji seemingly wants to treat official machinery as his fiefdom," the official said on the condition of anonymity.
Sources said the minister is unhappy with the working of SMC only because most of his verbal directives are not being duly considered.
Meanwhile a PDP leader said the party would take up the issue of attack on SMC Commissioner with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti who is also the party president.
Despite repeated attempts the minister in question couldn't be contacted for comments. |
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