DDG admonishes Masoodi for ignoring RTI petition

Jammu advocate approaches Ambika, seeks probe in Srinagar DD scams

Early Times Report

SRINAGAR, Nov 23: Continuously boasting of his “strong connections’ to the Union Minister of Health and former J&K Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Director of Doordarshan Kendra (DDK) Srinagar, Dr Rafeeq Masoodi, has not only ignored directions from Prasar Bharti Broadcasting Corporation of India and Directorate General of Doordarshan but also sponsored a campaign to grab the additional charge of Radio Kashmir Srinagar and Commercial Broadcasting Service of All India Radio in Srinagar.

Well-placed sources in DD revealed to Early Times that immediately after managing his rival Bashir Arif’s unceremonious exit on October 29th by way of a four-month-long agitation in Radio Kashmir Srinagar, Masoodi had begun all-out efforts to get the additional charge of RKS as well as CBS in Srinagar. Even as his patron and CEO of PBBCCI, B S Lalli, has been cut to size by the political establishment and bureaucracy earlier this month, Masoodi is reportedly enjoying remarkable support from Azad and his well-entrenched coterie in New Delhi.

According to these sources, PBBCCI and AIR were in favour of shifting Director of Radio Kashmir Jammu, Javed Iqbal, to Srinagar and appointing him as Director of RKS with additional charge of Director CBS Srinagar. However, Azad is said to be putting his weight behind Masoodi and influencing his colleague and Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Ambika Soni, so as to ensure that incumbent Director of DDK Srinagar, Rafeeq Masoodi, was also given the additional charge of RKS and CBS. Assistant Director at RKS, Rukhsana Jabeen, has been officiating as head of both the stations of AIR since last month.

Sources said that for over the last four months, Masoodi engineered the rebellion in RKS in which his relatives and loyalists played the key role. In the wake of unending unrest, ignited and sponsored by Masoodi, Directorate General of AIR recently removed Bashir Arif as Director of CBS and incharge Director of RKS.

In order to restore order and discipline, DG AIR simultaneously removed two of the RKS officials, one of them Masoodi’s close relative on account of creating indiscipline and turning the once famous broadcasting station into a battlefield. From DDK to High Court, Masoodi was spotted openly lobbying and influencing different quarters to see that Bashir Arif’s stay order was vacated and that of his relative and confidant was maintained. As per his scheme of things, one part of DG AIR’s Order dated October 29th has been implemented and another part got stayed.

Impartial officials at RKS insist that Dr Masoodi was already “running Radio Kashmir Srinagar as well as CBS through remote control from Doordarshan Kendra Srinagar”. According to them, almost all Directors of DDK Srinagar have been perceiving Directors of RKS as a threat. “They spend huge money and leave no stone unturned to keep their potential threats in the lowest spirit”, said an official. He said that Masoodi had extra interest and stake in the sense that he has served as head of Radio Kashmir Srinagar and a particular lobby of the station officials is known for its association, relationship and loyalty to him.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director General (DDG) of Doordarshan, incharge of North India and a designated appellate authority for implementation of RTI Act, Ashok Jailkhani has taken strong exception to Dr Rafeeq Masoodi’s act of denying information to a petitioner for 250 days instead of 28 days provided in the law.

“It is not understood why the Kendra has been delaying supplying of the relevant information and despite clear instructions from the Directorate the Kendra has not carried out the orders”, DDG North India and Appellate Authority, Ashok Jailkhani, has written to Masoodi in his letter No: DDG(AJ)/Misc(5)/RTI/2010 Dated 18-11-2010. In a tersely worded direction, he has asked Director DDK Srinagar to provide half of the information sought within 15 days and complete information within next 30 days.

As already reported in this newspaper, Jammu-based RTI activist and leading lawyer, advocate Sheikh Shakil Ahmed, had filed an application under the central RTI Act of 2005 on 19-03-2010 and sought some information from DDK Srinagar which was supposed to be furnished to him within 28 days. He had sought details regarding the funds received and purportedly spent on production of in-house programmes by DDK Srinagar during Dr Rafeeq Masoodi’s tenure. He had specifically demanded details of the programmes claimed to have been produced by seven particular producers/ DDK Srinagar officials, namely Mrs Shammi Shair, Mrs Swadesh Bakhshi, Mrs Kousar Parveen, Mrs Haleema Parveen, Messers Mufti Riyaz, Zeeshan Fazil and Rasheed Javed.

His original application as well as his repeated reminders fell on the deaf ears of the DDK Srinagar authorities, who conveniently ignored to respond for several months. On one point of time PIO, Shabir Mujaid, wrote to the petitioner that the information sought could not be collected and provided to him as long as there was “disturbance” in Kashmir. Advocate Shakil later submitted a petition to Minister incharge Information and Broadcasting, Ambika Soni, following which DDG Jailkhani directed Masoodi to furnish the information to the petitioner by or before 13-11-2010 without further delay and excuses. However, that too failed to move Mr Azad’s man at DDK Srinagar.

Earlier this month, Advocate Shakil was constrained to again seek intervention of the Union Minister of I&B. In his fresh application, he has sought the Minister’s attention towards the rampant corruption and lack of accountability at DDK Srinagar and requested her to order a high level inquiry into the allegation heaping up against senior officials of the station. Jailkhani has subsequently admonished Masoodi and directed him to furnish complete information to the petitioner within 30 days.

END