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| The stormiest ever session Govt in spot over corruption | | | Early Times Special Correspondent
Jammu | Jan 24
The current session has been the stormiest one so far, in the history of J&K legislature. Never before has the government been grilled and put on the mat so fiercely as has been the case this session. Ever since the commencement of the current session of the state legislature on January 7, there have been uproars and pandemonium, with the opposition members corning the treasury benches on various issues, putting the government in embarrassment and an un-envious position. In fact during last five years of the coalition rule in the state, the main opposition party, the National Conference, which has a solid group and which is the largest single party in the state assembly, has been sparing no opportunity to put the government in wrong and keep it at tenterhooks. In the past when National Conference was the ruling party in the state, whether ruling singularly or in alliance with the Congress, the opposition being quite weak numerically, it hardly ever faced the situation, where it fumbled for words and counter attacks to meet the onslaught of a small group of opposition members. Further having been itself in the government for a quite long time, having knowledge of ins and outs going on in the administration and still having sources of information about the loop holes, NC is in a better position to corner the treasury benches over its failings.
If the Assembly and Council sessions during last five years, with National Conference in opposition, were dominated by allegations of human rights violations, access committed by the security forces on the innocent people and other related issues, leveled by the main opposition National Conference, while a skeleton pro Jammu opposition comprising a lonely member of BJP and another of JSM, hardly made any impact, in pleading the case of Jammu region as well as criticizing the government for its alleged pro militant and pro secessionist policies and actions. However after the JKNPP, having four members in the state assembly and one in the council, pulled out of the coalition government and at long lost decided to cast their lot with the opposition. The voices against discrimination against Jammu and not resolving of problems concerning this region got a little force. But as the issues raised by the NC on one hand and Jammu based opposition groups on the other hand were divergent and unpalatable to each other, the government could get away with the opposition indulging in infighting and contradicting each others concerns.
But this session the issue of corruption in the administration and public life which has come as a God given opportunity to the opposition, the main opposition party NC which has its main constituency in Kashmir and the Jammu based opposition groups are found on the common platform, fighting for the common cause, which concerns the people at large cutting across regional barriers. If the last one week was consumed by the state assembly as well as by the Upper house over allegation of bribery of Rs 40,000 demanded and taken by a minister from an independent MLA, which rocked both the Houses, culminating into taking the head of the accused minister, even though the controversy did not end there the entire current week has witnessed acrimonies over the Kundal committee report on irregularities in the forest department and state forest corporation. The main opposition forced the government to place the Kundal panel report on the table of the House, which brought many skeletons in the cupboards of the government tumbling down. The report which was already leaked out and carried by a section of media has beyond any doubt indicted two cabinet ministers, who were incharge of forest department at different stages, for their involvement in creating artificial scarcity of timber, to facilitate its import from outside to benefit some private parties. The plea taken by the Chief Minister that the report has not mentioned the name of any minister being responsible for the irregularities does not hold good, in view of the report mentioning the timing when the irregularities pointed out, took place. Who were the ministers presiding over the forest portfolio is known to all. Thus the report clearly indicts and holds responsible the former Forest Minister and presently Finance Minister Tariq Hamid Qarra and the present Forest Minister Qazi Mohammad Afzal. Having taken the head of one Cabinet Minister, belonging to the Congress, the opposition NC is not going to stop short here, but is adamant on demanding the heads of two Cabinet Ministers belonging to the PDP.
The circles express surprise as to the Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad who was prompt to make his own party colleague, Pradesh Congress Committee President and Education Minister, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, to resign from his both post, simply on the charges leveled against him by an MLA on the floor of the house, why is dragging his feet in following the suit in the case of two Cabinet Ministers belonging to PDP, whose involvement in the forest scams is amply pointed out by the enquiry panel setup by the Chief Minister himself? Is there any political game behind the same? Why is the former Chief Minister and PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed taking it easy and not moving in the matter to salvage the damage being caused to the reputation and credibility of his party?
In the meanwhile, it are two senior PDP leaders, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, from whom the finance ministry was snatched to accommodate Qazi Mohammad Afzal and who was also forced to remain out of government for 15 months and the dissident PDP leader Ghulam Hassan Mir, who are laughing in their sleeves over the development, which has put Muftis in an embarrassing position. |
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