Two days after the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly passed a unanimous resolution urging the Centre to hold transparent and time-bound inquiry into former Army chief Gen VK Singh’s remarks on paying secret funds to Kashmiri mainstream politicians, the House was divided on Wednesday over the method of calling the controversial former General to J&K Assembly for explaining his position.
Initially, Speaker Mubarak Gul explained that he would write a letter to VK Singh in order to provide him an opportunity to defend himself before the Speaker over the charges, law Minister Mir Saifullah, who has moved privilege motion against Singh, stressed for “summoning” him to J&K legislature.
The issue created ruckus in the Assembly forcing three adjournments by the Speaker who remained adamant on his ruling. However, when Opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members raised hue and cry, the Speaker amended his decision to announce that he would “summon” the former Army chief. He explained that shooting a letter to Gen Singh was also equivalent to summoning him. Even as the Speaker ignored the PDP’s plea to set a timeframe for summoning Gen Singh, Opposition leader Mehbooba Mufti claimed at a Press conference that the Speaker assured them to summon him (Gen Singh) within a month’s time.
Interestingly, the Opposition parties were also divided on the Speaker’s earlier decision. While the BJP and National Panther’s Party members appreciated Speaker’s verdict to offer opportunity to Gen Singh to explain his position, PDP and CPM members sought explanation whether Singh was being summoned or asked to come to Kashmir over his own convenience.
The Speaker said that he has not disposed off the privilege motion nor relinquished the House’s right to summon Gen Singh personally or call a special session to “impeach” him. The BJP and NPP members shouted slogans against the ruling party accusing law Minister of influencing and pressurising the Speaker. “Stop pressurising the Chair, Don’t influence the Speaker”, they shouted.
Rural Development Minister Ali Muhammad Sagar supported Saifullah’s plea to summon Gen Singh to J&K Assembly. “He (Singh) has leveled serious charges against J&K politicians. We have right to ask him relevant questions in the Assembly”, he said. At one stage, the PDP demanded voting on whether Gen Singh must be summoned to the House or invited through a letter from the Speaker.
The VK Singh issue also rocked the Upper House where most of the members cutting across party affiliations decried Gen Singh’s remarks against J&K politicians alleging them to be on the Army’s payrolls since 1947. The Upper House also passed a resolution urging the Government of India to hold a transparent and time-bound inquiry against Gen VK Singh for his remarks against J&K politicians.
Three ruling party members had moved a privilege motion against Gen Singh, which was referred to Privilege Committee by Council Chairman Ashok Malhotra.
Observers say that the ruling NC is attempting to reserve the VK Singh issue for its appeasement policy towards Congress, which is twitchy over Singh’s proximity with the BJP and its Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. They say that Gen Singh has been neutralised for the time being and if he attempts to supplement the BJP’s election campaign in near future, there is likelihood that he would be summoned to J&K Assembly.