Soz-Azad clash delays NC-Cong seat sharing

Bigwigs in NC, Congress fail to get ticket; 16 candidates file nomination papers

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

JAMMU, Mar 30: Factional warfare within Congress party has inordinately delayed seat sharing arrangement between the ruling coalition partners even as 15 candidates---including 4 each from National Conference (NC) and Congress---filed nomination papers for six notified vacancies in the Legislative Council on the last day of the process today. Contrary to wide expectations that businessmen would yet again grab the lion’s share, both the parties have, however, issued tickets on merit and dropped over a dozen of bigwigs who were all strong contenders.

Minutes before the deadline ended this afternoon, as many as 15 candidates of different political parties, including an Independent, filed nomination papers before Returning Officer and Secretary of Legislative Assembly, Mohammad Ramzan. As PDP’s Mohammad Ashraf Mir had already filed his papers last week, there are now 16 contestants for the six seats advertised through three separate notifications. One-odd Independent candidate, namely Abdul Gani Sofi, today filed his papers without the mandatory support of 10 MLAs. His nomination is sure to be declared as invalid during scrutiny on Thursday.

Legislative Assembly, comprising 87 elected and 2 nominated members, forms the electoral college for the election of six new MLCs, each for six years’ term.

Scrutiny of papers would be conducted tomorrow while as March 2^nd has been fixed as the last date for withdrawal of nominations. Voting, if necessary, would be held by secret ballot on April 13^th.

In absence of a settlement between the two factions, sponsored by J&K Pradesh Congress Committee chief, Prof Saif-ud-din Soz, and the Union Minister of Health, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress finally fielded two of its candidates for one-odd seat it was likely to get in the coalition seat sharing in Kashmir. Azad’s right hand man and outgoing MLC, Abdul Gani Vakil, as well as Soz loyalist, Ghulam Nabi Monga, filed their nomination papers for the Kashmir seat. As the crisis affected entire arrangement, both the parties decided to field their candidates for four seats each.

Well placed political sources said that the crisis would be resolved in a meeting between the coalition partners here on Thursday. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, a number of his ministerial colleagues and party functionaries, J&K PCC President, Saif-ud-din Soz, senior Congress leader, Mangat Ram Sharma and AICC General Secretary incharge Jammu & Kashmir, were expected to participate in the meeting. Sources said that some candidates from both parties would be asked to withdraw nominations and clear out in favour of the finally selected nominees. This process would span over the next three days.

For the moment, there are now seven candidates for three vacancies in Kashmir valley. They include Mohammad Ashraf Mir (PDP), Dr Bashir Ahmed Shah Veeri (NC), Dharamvir Singh Oberai (NC), Abdul Gani Vakil (Congress Azad faction), Ghulam Nabi Monga (Congress Soz faction), Mohammad Maqbool War (BJP) and Abdul Gani Sofi (Independent).

For two unreserved seats of Jammu division, there are five contestants, namely Master Noor Hussain (NC), Yashpal Khajuria (Congress), Fakeer Nath (National Panthers Party), Satish Kumar (BJP) and Bharat Bhushan (PDP).

For the ruling coalition’s reserved---and thus safest---seat of Poonch, NC has issued its ticket to former Minister Ghulam Ahmed Ganai’s daughter, Dr Shehnaz Ganai, while as Congress has for the moment repeated one of its outgoing MLCs, Jehangir Hussain Mir. Besides, NPP has fielded Mohammad Saleem and BJP Ranjit Singh.

Contrary to widespread speculations, both NC as well as Congress have this time issued tickets to real political workers and denied the same to politicians basically known on account of their money and businesses. For the last many days, speculations were rife that two of the NC’s outgoing MLCs, one each from Jammu and Kashmir, had “already bought” their tickets.

NC’s potential contenders, who failed to get mandate, include all the four outgoing MLCs, namely Trilochan Singh Wazir, Mohammad Rasheed Qureshi, Altaf Ahmed Wani and Showkat Hussain Ganai. Other bigwigs dropped today include Dr Farooq Abdullah’s confidante and former Advocate General, Mohammad Aslam Goni, Vice President for Jammu Rattan Lal Gupta and Vice President for Kashmir Ali Mohammad Dar.

NC’s first time nominee, Bashir Ahmed Shah Veeri, is a post-graduate doctor by profession. In 2008 Assembly elections, he had resigned his job and become a contender for Bijbehara seat. Son of party’s senior leader and several times MLA and MLC, Haji Abdul Gani Veeri, Dr Bashir was, however, directed by the NC high command to surrender in favour of advocate Mohammad Ashraf Tak. However, PDP’s incumbent Abdul Rehman Veeri trounced his rivals badly and he was returned for the third term with a huge margin of votes.

Like Bashir Veeri, NC’s candidate for the reserved seat of Poonch, Shehnaz Ganai, happens to be a doctor. She too had resigned her job when Dr Abdullah committed to her publicly that she would be the party’s candidate from Poonch in 2008 Assembly elections. However, during the elections, NC preferred its former MLA late Ghulam Mohammad Jan’s son, Aijaz Jan. She finally got preference over the outgoing MLC, Mohammad Rasheed Qureshi.

Master Noor Hussain is one of NC’s senior most workers in Jammu.

Dharamvir Singh Oberai too is widely known for his long time association with NC. In Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s government in late 1970s, Singh functioned as Chairman of Srinagar Municipal Council.

However, one among Singh and Dr Veeri, is sure to be a loser this time. By all indications, NC would have to make the Congress candidate’s victory certain with more than half of the coalition’s assumed strength of 50 MLAs.  Among remaining two seats, PDP is certainly to get one with its advantage of 21 seats plus three expected from NPP. In other words, NC, Congress and PDP would clearly get one each seat in Kashmir.

While the coalition has a cakewalk in the reserved seat of Poonch, most likely to be given to NC, Congress, for now, appears to be sure winner on one of the two unreserved seats in Jammu. State’s only interesting fight would be witnessed on the second unreserved seat of Jammu. It could straightaway go to an opposition candidate who could manage to get support from PDP (21), NPP (3), JSM (1) and BJP (11). NC or Congress (as to be decided in tomorrow’s coalition meeting), could get this seat only in case it got support from all of its “associate MLAs” and there was no unity between PDP, NPP and BJP.

Informed sources said that NC was using all possible resources to clinch victory on Jammu’s uncertain seat.

Like NC, Congress too has obliged its real political workers and dropped a number of bigwigs. Strong contenders for the Congress ticket included former Vice Chancellor of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Choudhary Masood (brother of NC’s MLC Javed Rana), former Deputy Chief Minister Pandit Mangat Ram Sharma besides former Advisor to Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Janak Raj Gupta and two more former Ministers, namely Moola Ram and Jugal Kishore.

NPP has fielded former MLA Fakeer Nath but the party supreme Bhim Singh, contrary to wide speculations, has not jumped into the fray. That has come as an indication that there were least prospects of tie-up between PDP, NPP and BJP on the one uncertain seat in Jammu.

Having fielded a young management graduate, Ashraf Mir, in Kashmir and Bharat Bhushan in Jammu, PDP too has disappointed a number of its potential contenders like former bureaucrat Naeem Akhtar, former Ministers Mohammad Dilawar Mir and Tariq Hameed Qarra besides Qarra’s sister-in-law, Asiya Naqash.

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Privilege Committee records Jerath’s statement

Speaker asks Health Minister to verify AIG’s claim

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

JAMMU, Mar 29: With the privilege proceedings getting underway against two senior officials of Police and Health departments, Speaker of Legislative Assembly, Mohammad Akbar Lone, today asked Minister of Health Sham Lal Sharma to find whether AIG Provision Aftab Kakroo’s mother was really admitted in a hospital or the Police official had submitted a lame excuse to justify his absence.

Informed sources told Early Times that Speaker asked Minister incharge Health to check records to all hospitals to find whether the AIG Provision Aftab Kakroo’s mother was really admitted. As already reported in this newspaper, Speaker had on Monday slapped a notice of breach of privilege on Kakroo on account of his contemptuous behaviour towards the Legislature and its Presiding Officer.

The accused official had communicated through a team of Police Headquarters officials that he had not responded to telephonic calls of Speaker and Assembly Secretariat as his mother was ill and under treatment in a hospital. As the officials failed to produce any evidence of the accused official’s mother being under treatment, Speaker directed them to identify the hospital. Taking strong note of the Police official’s conduct, Speaker today asked Minister of Health to verify the AIG’s claim and report back to him by tomorrow.

Even after DGP’s instructions and repeated requisitions from Speaker, AIG Provisions has allegedly failed to either repair the Speaker’s bulletproof car or replace it by a brand new vehicle under DGP’s orders in the last five months. He allegedly did not respond to phone calls when Assembly Secretariat as well as Speaker himself attempted to talk to him on telephone for three consecutive days.

Speaker, meanwhile, referred the matter of disrespect to the BJP MLA Lal Chand, allegedly by Principal Secretary Health & Medical Education, Ravi Kulbhushan Jerath, to Assembly’s Privilege Committee. As reported in detail in a separate item in this newspaper, Speaker took the decision after members of all political parties agitated the matter at the beginning of Question Hour and demanded action against the accused bureaucrat.

On Speaker’s direction, Assembly Secretariat asked all members of the Privilege Committee, besides the complainant MLA, Lal Chand, and the accused bureaucrat, R K Jerath, through Chief Secretary to attend a meeting at 2.00 pm. Chairman of the committee and MLA from Doda, Abdul Majeed Wani, presided over the meeting that was held at the office of Deputy Speaker Mohammad sartaj Madni. While a member, Sajad Ahmed Kichloo, was absent, all others participated in the meeting. They included Mrs Indu Pawar, Messers Basharat Bukhari, Javed Mustaf Mir, Rafi Ahmed Mir (PDP), Kafeel-ur-Rehman (NC) and independent MLA, Engineer Sheikh Abdul Rasheed.

Even as Assembly Secretariat, as well as Chairman Abdul Majeed Wani, repeatedly requested the complainant MLA to be present for recording of his principal statement, Mr Lal Chand refused to attend with the assertion that he could not attend it as long as members of different political parties were on protest in a show of solidarity with him.

Sources said that Mr Jerath’s statement in defence was recorded in today’s meeting. He has reportedly maintained that he had failed to recognize the MLA who, according to the accused, did not disclose his identity. The accused official is said to have offered his public apology “in case an honourable MLA has felt hurt with my behaviour”.

Sources said that Chairman Wani called another meeting of the committee at 9.00 a.m on Wednesday and yet again requested the complainant MLA to attend and get his statement recorded. It has been made clear to the complainant that the matter would bounce back on his head if he continuously chose to remain absent. The accused official is likely to be cross-examined by the committee members in Wednesday’s meeting. Sources said that a report would be submitted to Speaker before commencement of the day’s scheduled proceedings at Assembly tomorrow.

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Speaker slaps privilege notice on AIG Provisions

High flying Aftab Kakroo doesn’t respond to Legislature

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

JAMMU, Mar 28: In an extraordinary cognizance of the disobedience of a senior Police official, posted at J&K Police Headquarters, Speaker of Legislative Assembly Mohammad Akbar Lone today slapped a privilege notice on AIG Provisions, Aftab Ahmed Kakroo. The official holding the rank of a Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) has been charged with contempt of the House on account of his selective treatment to legislators and failure to respond to telephonic calls from MLAs and Presiding Officer of the House.

Informed sources revealed to Early Times that a number of MLAs had complained to Speaker that officials posted at J&K Police headquarters had been providing brand new cars and other privileges to only the legislators of their personal choice while those refusing to keep the officials in good humour were getting a shabby treatment. They had been repeatedly complaining that brand new bulletproof cars and double escort had been provided to certain legislators while as many others had been suffering badly as they had been provided with just one-odd dilapidated Gypsy.

Speaker’s assurances to redress the grievances of the legislators were implemented in breach, even after he spoke personally to Principal Secretary of Home and Director General of Police.

In November last year, Speaker’s own bulletproof car in Srinagar cracked its windscreen. He was assured by DGP that his car would be replaced with a brand new BP car “very soon”. After a great deal of persuasion, DGP personally directed AIG Provisions Aftab Kakroo to provide a freshly acquired BP car to the Speaker.

Even as Police Headquarters acquired a number of vehicles, Speaker’s damaged car was never replaced. Speaker yet again raised the matter with DGP who again repeated his assurance and reminded AIG Provisions to arrange a fresh BP car for the Presiding Officer of Legislative Assembly. Speaker was finally assured that his requisition would be fulfilled on March 22. However, that was not to be.

On March 22, 23 and 24 Assembly Secretariat made repeated attempts to get in touch with AIG Provisions. Messages were communicated to him also through other modes. Still, there was no response from Mr Kakroo.

Finally, Speaker himself dialed the AIG’s number quite a number of times. Still he did not bother either to pick up the call or to respond to the Speaker subsequently.

In the afternoon today, Speaker took extraordinary cognizance of the AIG’s disobedience and slapped a notice of breach of privilege on him through Secretary Assembly, Mohammad Ramzan. Within minutes, some officials from Police Headquarters called on Speaker with the defence that AIG had failed to respond as his mother was admitted in a hospital. Speaker asked the officials to return and submit a documentary evidence of the fact in case the accused official’s mother was really under treatment at a hospital. They were directed to submit a certificate from the hospital before 1700 hours today. Meanwhile, Speaker directed Assembly Secretariat to check veracity of the Police officials’ statement

However, till late this evening, the Police officials failed to submit any evidence of the AIG’s mother being under treatment in any hospital. Meanwhile, a number of MLAs requested Speaker to find how the same official had managed his posting of AIG Provision at Police Headquarters for over 16 years with a break of just two years. They also desired to know how over 300 BP cars, non-BP cars and Gypsies had been provided to influential persons without any threat perception certificate and security categorization from CID Headquarters. They complained that petrol and diesel worth Crores of rupees was being issued to these vehicles, though over a hundred of these were never in operation.

They complained that certain officials, who have remained posted at Police Headquarters continuously for 10 to 25 years, had developed intimate relations with senior Police officials and their families and with the advantage of that confidence they had been treating the institution of Legislature with brazen contempt.

Speaker, Mohammad Akbar Lone, confirmed to Early Times that he had initiated privilege proceedings against the AIG Provisions on account of his contemptuous treatment to the Legislature and its members. He said that he would also initiate similar proceedings against the doctors and the hospital if any of them issued a certificate in favour of the accused without his mother being admitted or under treatment. He said that all Police officials were public servants and accountable to the public through the Legislature.

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NC, Cong share Council seats around Patel-Nedou wedding

Farooq leaving for Finland, nominations likely today

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

JAMMU, Mar 26: Ruling coalition partners, National Conference (NC) and Congress, are understood to have settled the issue of sharing seats for Legislative Council in 4:2 on the basis of the spirit of an agreement made in January 2009. Senior leaders of the two parties are said to have sorted out the arrangement around the marriage ceremony of Ahmed Patel’s son with the daughter Srinagar-based businessman and close relative of J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in New Delhi last weekend.

Well placed political sources told Early Times that NC and Congress had finalized an agreement over seat sharing for six vacancies in Legislative Council around a high profile wedding in New Delhi last weekend. Almost all the senior leaders of the two parties attended the ceremony of marriage between senior Congress leader and AICC chief Sonia Gandhi’s confidante Ahmed Patel’s son and daughter of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s close relative Omar Nedou. Sources said that Dr Abdullah and Omar Abdullah discussed the issue of seat sharing in detail with senior AICC leaders.

Sources said that on the basis of the spirit of an agreement made at the time of formation of the coalition government in January 2009, NC and Congress shared the seats in 4:2 ratio. Some J&K Pradesh Congress Committee leaders, including President Prof Saifuddin Soz, had been insisting on 3:3 formula. However, it was finally decided that on the basis of the parties’ respective strength in Legislative Assembly, NC would field four candidates and Congress would contest on remaining two seats. However, both the seats allotted to Congress, one each in Jammu and Kashmir provinces, would be “fully safe”.

Sources said that both the outgoing MLCs of Congress party, namely Jehangir Ahmed Mir (Poonch Reserved) and Abdul Gani Vakil, were likely to be repeated. Prof Soz, who interacted with his party colleagues in Jammu today, was still insisting on replacing both the incumbent MLCs. He was also insisting Congress to contest from a seat in Jammu and field one among the former Ministers namely Mangat Ram Sharma, Moola Ram, Jugal Kishore and Gharu Ram. Sources said that a final decision to that effect would be taken on Tuesday after Ghulam Nabi Azad’s return from Teheran.

According to informed sources, NC President and Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Dr Farooq Abdullah, who has taken Omar Abdullah as well as party General Secretary, Sheikh Nazir Ahmed, in confidence over seat sharing arrangement as well as nomination of four of the party’s contenders, would be flying to Finland in Europe in the forenoon on Tuesday. Nominations are likely to be made public in Jammu in the afternoon tomorrow.

Almost all members of Dr Abdullah’s family and former Chief Minister late Ghulam Mohammad Shah’s family were conspicuously in attendance on the wedding in New Delhi. They included Dr Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, Dr Mustafa Kamal, Begam Khalida Shah, her son Muzaffar Shah and all members of the Nedou family. Owner of Nedous group of hotels, Feredy Nedou happened to be Dr Farooq Abdullah’s maternal uncle. Before his departure for Iran, Mr Azad also attended the wedding. Ahmed Patel has been the most influential General Secretary of AICC besides Political Advisor to AICC chief Sonia Gandhi. He was a close friend of late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Even as the senior AICC and NC leaders are holding it close to their chest, sources said that Dr Abdullah was strongly in favour of repeating one of his party’s outgoing MLCs in Jammu. However, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and few others in his government were in favour another senior leader and former MLC with the apprehension that Dr Abdullah’s favourite could be arrested anytime on account of his alleged involvement in the infamous Chopra murder case. Sources said that there were also “bleak chances” of the repetition of NC’s outgoing MLCs in Kshmir namely Altaf Kaloo and Showkat Ganai in view of their poor performance, both in Legislative Council as well as their respective constituencies of Pahalgam and Wachi, in South Kashmir.

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Sagar defends diversion of funds from Kashmir to Jammu

PDP, CPI (M) stage walkout over diversion of Rs 30 Cr CRF

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

JAMMU, Mar 26: Senior National Conference (NC) leader and Minister incharge Rural Development, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Ali Mohammad Sagar, today found himself in the eye of a storm over diversion of Central Road Fund allocation worth Rs 30 Cr from Kashmir valley to Jammu division. Valley-based opposition parties, including PDP and CPI (M), staged a walkout from Legislative Assembly over the controversial decision of Public Works Department, currently functioning under Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, but Sagar asserted in defence that diversion had become a necessity to protect flow of the central funds to Jammu & Kashmir.

With the beginning of Zero Hour, leader of the principal opposition party, PDP, Mehbooba Mufti sought Speaker’s attention to a recent Government order whereby CRF funds to the tune of Rs 30 Cr have been diverted from Srinagar to Jammu. She questioned shifting of funds from R&B Department Kashmir to R&B Department Jammu and called it “grave injustice to the people of Kashmir”. Today’s Greater Kashmir had carried a story on diversion of the CRF allocation and claimed that same were being utilized for development of Jammu.

Amid heated exchanges with Mehbooba, Sagar asserted that the NC-led coalition government had a strong commitment to development in Kashmir, particularly the capital city of Srinagar. He argued that the funds had been diverted earlier this month “only to protect further flow of the central funds”. He claimed that the funds had not been utilized due to disturbance in the Valley in 2010-11 and allowing the same to lapse would have meant stoppage of further allocations from the Union government.

Not satisfied with Sagar’s reply, all the members from PDP, PDF and CPI (M) shouted slogans and staged a walkout in protest. They were also joined in the protest by CPI (M) leader, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, who questioned Sagar’s assumption that the funds would have remained unspent and thus rendered the state of Jammu & Kashmir disqualified in seeking further allocations. He assured the House that Kashmir division would be duly compensated with the additionalities during 2011-12. Sagar asserted that the funds could not be utilized in full due to street turmoil in the Valley in 2011.

While the House remained disrupted, both Mehbooba as well as Sagar held separate press conferences to assert against each other. Sagar said that an amount of Rs 132 Cr had been received from the Centre under Central Road Fund during last year the current financial year’s allocation would be of an order of Rs 140 Cr. Keeping the money unutilized, he said, would have disqualified J&K from seeking further CRF allocations. He charged PDP and BJP with playing politics over development of the state.

Later, at a news conference, Sagar admitted that CRF was not lapsable at the end of a particular financial year. He maintained that failure in providing utilization certificates to the Centre would have stopped further allocations from New Delhi.

Sagar strongly dispelled the impression of ‘injustice to Kashmir and injustice to Jammu’ while asserting that some political parties, like PDP and BJP, had been generating mistrust over regional and religious divisions. When he was asked about a member’s dissent on recommendations of State Finance Commission, Sagar asserted that the real document would be tabled in nthe Legistaure in a few days and that would automatically set the records right.

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Jobs are on sale in PSC: Tarigami

I’ll speak to Chairman to set the system right: CM

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

JAMMU, Mar 23: Even as Special Judge anticorruption in Srinagar has directed State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) to proceed with an inquiry into allegations of unfair means in recent selection of Assistant Veterinary Surgeons, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today assured Legislative Assembly that he would personally speak to Chairman of Jammu & Kashmir Public Service Commission (PSC) to set the system right. Chief Minister was responding to CPI (M) State Secretary and MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami’s impression that jobs were on sale in the PSC.

During his speech on grants of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s portfolios, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami expressed his serious concern over loss of faith of the young generation into the credibility of the state’s recruitment agencies.

“There is a wide perception among our educated youth today that jobs are on sale in the Public Service Commission. I have very compelling reasons to believe that there is little difference between this perception and the reality as the rules and procedures have been violated in recent selections. What’s the justification of reserving 50% of marks for interview and examining your own relatives? Why don’t we find such a perception vis-à-vis Competent Authority for Entrance Examinations that makes selection of candidates for all professional degree courses? We must realize that even a mere public perception is often as harmful as the reality”, Tarigami asserted.

Tarigami said that he had personally faith in integrity of the PSC Chairman, S L Bhat but at the same time he was flooded with serious complaints and reliable reports of wrongdoing during the selection process. He emphasized that something serious and urgent needed to be done to redeem the image of the institution that was responsible for selection of cream of the public services in Jammu & Kashmir. “This is the question of our young generation’s future. Their despair would not augur well for the state”, he added. According to him, it was an extremely serious matter that credibility of the PSC had become suspect and the youth were losing faith in the institution.

In sharp contrast to his tweeting away the Early Times series on the PSC’s worst ever selection process, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah assured Tarigami on the floor of the House today that he would personally speak to his colleagues in the government and Chairman of PSC to set the system right. He said that he was seized of the matter as the complaints pouring in to Mr Tarigami were also routed to him. He assured the people of the state through Assembly that credibility of the PSC as also faith of the young generation into the autonomous institution would be preserved with necessary corrective measures.

Meanwhile, disposing a petition filed by parents of eight of the dropped candidates, Special Judge Anticorruption Kashmir, Rasheed Ali Dar, has directed respondent Commissioner of Vigilance to proceed with an inquiry into the allegations of corruption and other unfair means leveled by the petitioners.

After recording statements of the complainants, the court in Srinagar ordered: “It has been admitted in the complaint by the complainant that the Vigilance Organization is making probe of the allegations which form subject matter of the complaint. Taking note of the same, the complaint is forwarded for further necessary action to the Vigilance Organization which shall proceed in the matter in the light of Standing instructions governing the said organization”.

The parents of the highly meritorious candidates, who have been dropped in the selection, have sought in the petition registration of a criminal matter by State Vigilance Organisation against the PSC functionaries associated with the process.

The selection has been already stayed by Mr Justice Hasnain Masoodi of Jammu & Kashmir High Court.

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The State-sponsored freedom movement!

Govt spends Rs 24 Lakh of Indian tax-payers’ money on fuel of Kashmir azadi vehicles

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

JAMMU, Mar 22: They call it ‘Pakistan-sponsored separatist movement’ and ‘Islamabad’s proxy war’ but government functionaries in Jammu & Kashmir have burnt midnight oil in broad daylight to facilitate the movement of Kashmir’s separatist leaders during turmoil of 2008 and 2010. In reply to a cut motion on grants of Home Department and Security Related Expenditure (SRE), Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today revealed in Legislative Assembly that Government had spent over Rs 24 Lakh on the fuel of official vehicles provided to the separatist leaders.

Without interpretations, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah disclosed in response to an opposition MLA’s cut motion that Government of Jammu & Kashmir had taken upon itself responsibility of not only providing Police protection and bulletproof cars not only to the Valley’s separatist leaders but also to their successors in the families and other relatives. Entire money spent on the facilitation was coming in from millions of the Indian tax-payers through Union Home Ministry. He made it clear on the floor of the House that three successive governments of Ghulam Nabi Azad, Governor Narendar Nath Vohra and Omar Abdullah had spent an amount of Rs 24 Lakh to facilitate the movement of these separatist leaders through the turbulence of 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Giving details, Chief Minister said in a written reply that Government of Jammu & Kashmir had spent an amount of Rs 7,78,907 on the plain Gypsy and bullet-proof car provided by Security Wing of J&K Police to the senior separatist leader Maulvi Abbas Ansari from 2008 to 2010. He said that Rs 1,68,511 was spent on the fuel of the Police Gypsy provided to Chairman of Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. According to Chief Minister, an amount of Rs 2,58,022 was spent on the escort Gypsy and bulletproof car provided to another senior separatist leader, namely Aga Syed Hassan.

During same period of turbulence, expenditure was Rs 2,76,360 on the escort Gypsy of senior Hurriyat leader, Bilal Gani Lone and Rs 2,10,451 on the one provided to hijacker-turned-separatist leader Hashim Qureishi. In the reply, Sajjad Gani Lone has also been clubbed with the separatist leaders though he contested Lok Sabha elections of 2009. An amount of Rs 4,38,920 has been shown as expenditure on the escort Gypsy provided to him. Expenditure on the escort Gypsies provided to Saleem Geelani and Zaffar Akbar Bhat has been mentioned as Rs 1,76,898 and Rs 76,790 respectively. Interestingly, one-time “Divisional Commander” of Hizbul Mujahideen, Zaffar Akbar Bhat had played a key role in generating an anti-India and anti-J&K Police wave during the turbulent weeks of 2008.

Giving details about the Police protection provided to Maulvi Abbas Ansari, Chief Minister said that one Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI), two Head Constables (HCs), three Selection Grade Constables (Sgct) and three Constables were guarding the Hurriyat leader and his house in Srinagar. They were in addition to the Police officials provided by District Police Lines Srinagar for Access Control (AC) at the separatist leader’s house, escort personnel and drivers of one escort Gypsy and one bulletproof vehicle.

While as the senior Hurriyat leader has been placed in the high security category of ‘Z’, his successor-son Masroor Abbas enjoys protection under ‘Y’ category. One constable has been attached to him as Personal Security Officer.

Chaiman of the Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, enjoys ‘Z’ category of security. He has been provided as many as five escort and other vehicles as also an Access Control with CCTV. Chief Minister said that one Inspector and nine Constables of J&K Police were guarding the Hurriyat Chairman. He said that one PSO had also been provided to Mirwaiz Umar’s maternal uncle, Maulvi Manzoor, who is a retired Chief Engineer of Power Development Department.

Even the brother-in-law of Mirwaiz Umar, Abdul Majid Drabu, has been placed in ‘X’ category of security and three Constables have been provided to him for the purpose of security. Interestingly, Drabu is a junior engineer who has been attached to a key posting in Civil Secretariat reportedly on the recommendations of a Cabinet Minister.

Placed in ‘Z’ category, Aga Syed Hassan has been provided one escort Gypsy, one bulletproof car, one Access Control guard and four PSOs. Chief Minister’s reply, however, does not mention Police guards provided for the separatist leader’s house from District Police Budgam.  Besides, according to Chief Minister, Aga’s brother, Syed Abul Hassan Mustafa, has been provided two Constables and one SPO. He stands placed in ‘X’ category. Interestingly, volume of the security provided to Aga Syed Hassan’s son-in-law, Aga Ruhullah, who is a Minister in Omar Abdullah’s Cabinet, is no match to that of his separatist father-in-law.

Former Hurriyat Chairman, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, has refused to accept Access Control at his house in Botengo, Sopore, as also a bulletproof car offered to him. He has, however, accepted two Constables for his Access Control at his house in Wazirbagh (Srinagar) besides four Constables and one Selection Grade Constable for his personal security.

Placed in ‘Z’ category, Bilal Gani Lone has been provided one Constable and five Sgcts, joint access control and an escort Gypsy. One escort Gypsy and 12 personnel have been provided to Hashim Qureishi, who is facing charges of hijacking an Indian Airlines plane that was set on fire and destroyed at Lahore Airport in 1971.

Syed Saleem Geelani of Hurriyat (Mirwaiz) has been provided one escort vehicle and two Constables for his personal security. He stands placed in ‘Y’ category. Seven Policemen have been deployed on the protection of one-time Chief Commander of Hizbullah, Shahidul Islam, who is now working with Hurriyat (Mirwaiz).

Even as 17 of the separatist leaders and their relatives have been provided government security cover and transport, JKLF Chairman Yasin Malik (‘Z’), Fazal Haq Qureshi (‘Z’), DFP chief Shabir Shah (‘Y’), National Front chief Nayeem Khan (‘Y’) and Chairman of so-called hardline faction of Hurriyat, Syed Ali Shah Geelani (‘Y’) have not accepted any security cover or bulletproof cars from the government.

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