The Supreme Court on Thursday decided to hear a PIl challenging the funding given by Centre to separatists in Jammu & Kashmir as "illegal" and "unconstitutional".
listing the matter for hearing on September 14, the Bench headed by Justice Anil Dave told the petitioner Ml Sharma, "We share your feelings" as the petition stated that Indian Government annually spends close to Rs 100 crore on these separatists without any budgetary allocation on consent of Parliament. The petition sought enquiry into persons who order for release of such funds which amounts to waging war against the nation.
Sharma, who is a lawyer by profession, quoted media reports to show that in the last five years, the Indian Government spent Rs 356 crore on providing security cover to separatists, their travel and lodging in luxurious hotels. The cost of hotel bills alone ran into Rs 21 crore while the fuel consumed for their visits across India cost the public exchequer to the tune of Rs 26.43 crore.
Wondering why so much was spent on an unelected group of individuals termed as separatists, the petition said they deserved not a single penny for their anti-India rant and for instigating youth to pelt stones at the Army and spread enmity against Indian Government among people in the Valley.
The Bench of Justices Anil Dave and l Nageswara Rao directed the petition to be listed on September 14, even as it said, "Everybody sitting here feels the same." The petition further demanded that Indian officials who sanction these amounts should be held accountable under the Prevention of Corruption Act or relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code for financing acts that amount to waging war against the nation. PNS
"These separatist group and leaders have been attacking the country and working to destroy the country and its part state Kashmir within the policy and object of enemy country "Pakistan" which is a serious offence under PC Act as well as Indian Penal Code."