Zaffar fired as Jora puts his foot down against ‘verbal’ extension

Kashmir Festival in doldrums; No coordination between sponsors

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Nov 20: With the state government still looking for the coordinating agency amid reports of no camaraderie between a host of sponsoring departments and organizations on proposed Kashmir Festival in New Delhi, Minister incharge Tourism and Culture, Rigzin Jora, has finally succeeded in getting rid of Zaffar Iqbal Manhas as Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture & languages.

After rising to high positions in the last over 30 years, Zaffar Iqbal reached superannuation as Secretary of Cultural Academy on August 31, 2011. As the government constituted a committee, headed by eminent litterateur and former Secretary Mohammad Yousuf Taing, to pick up new incumbent, Manhas was asked to continue in the hot seat for two months beyond the date of his retirement from service. Even after the period of his brief extension expired on October 31, he continued to function as Secretary of Cultural Academy for over two weeks.

Authoritative sources revealed to Early Times that during the course of an official meeting on Friday last, Mr Jora observed that most of the arrangements were still either underway or yet to be initiated for organizing a major cultural event at India International Center, New Delhi. The festival, involving a number of government and non-government organizations, is scheduled to be held in the union capital with a major contribution of Resident Commissioner’s office on December 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th. According to sources, Cultural Academy had been assigned the pivotal role of coordination between different sponsoring organizations.

According to sources, Mr Jora took umbrage over the fact that the retired Secretary was holding office even after reaching the end of his active service on August 31. When he desired to know as to how Mr Manhas was continuously operating as Secretary and taking major decisions even after the period of his extension had ended on October 31, he was told that “someone in Chief Minister’s Secretariat” had verbally asked the outgoing Secretary to stay put. Soon it dawned on the meeting that most of the arrangements were either underway or yet to be initiated.

Thereupon, an exasperated Minister incharge Culture straightaway trooped into the CM’s Secretariat and enquired from a senior official as to how Mr Manhas had been holding the office of Secretary of Cultural Academy far beyond his retirement.  Within minutes, Manhas was unceremoniously relieved and the charge of Secretary was temporarily handed over to Commissioner-Secretary Tourism and Culture, Atul Duloo. Sources said that nobody in the corridors of power owned “verbal orders” of Mr Manhas’ extension. Questions are now being raised over the legality of decisions and orders, involving financial implications, which have been issued by Mr Manhas in the last 18 days of his overstay in Academy.

Efforts are now frantically underway to ensure that existing deficiencies did not come in the way of organizing the much publicized cultural bonanza. Sources said that nearly a dozen government and non-government organizations and departments are associated with the mega cultural event. Directorate of Tourism is now being roped in to function as Coordinator between the host of sponsors. According to sources, even the boarding and lodging arrangements for 300-odd participants are yet to be finalized, let alone rigorous choreography and rehearsals.

Nearly three-year-long infamous conflict of authority between Jora and Manhas has badly affected the working of Cultural Academy. Jora has reportedly got the flow of funds choked amid allegations of various hues--- corruption, nepotism, favouritism--- against the outgoing Secretary. Enjoying support of some influential leaders in Congress and National Conference, Manhas refused to give in and, instead, maintained questioning the authority of the Minister incharge Culture. Academy is an autonomous body by Constitution and Chief Minister stands designated as its President.

The Search Committee comprising Mohammad Yousuf Taing, Prof Neelambar Dev Sharma, Prof Rehman Rahi, Commissioner Secretary Tourism and Culture, Atul Duloo, and Commissioner-Secretary General Administration Department, Mohammad Sayeed Khan, has reportedly processed CVs of nearly two dozen aspirants and finally submitted a panel of five names to Chief Minister and President of Academy, Omar Abdullah, at the end of September last.

Five names the Search Committee recommended include Director of Libraries, Khlaid Bashir Ahmad, retired Registrar of SKUAST-Jammu, Prof Ayaz Rasool Nazki, Conservator of Forest and author of 27 books in English, Dogri and Hindi, Om Vidhyarthi, seniormost Additional Secretary of Academy, Saveeta Bakhshi, who is currently functioning as Additional Secretary Jammu and Abdul Aziz Parray alias Aziz Hajini, Lecturer of Higher Secondary education who is currently on deputation with J&K State Board of School Education and also Convener (Kashmiri) with Sahitya Academy.

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