Jammu and Kashmir Assembly began with a short but tumultuous autumn Session on Monday amid Opposition members’ demands for dismissal of Omar Abdullah-led coalition Government and justice for the victims of violence in the embattled State.
The ruling National Conference moved separate privilege motions in both Houses of the Assembly against Army Chief Gen (retd) VK Singh for his utterances against J&K’s mainstream politicians. A senior Minister said that Singh would be impeached inside the Assembly to speak the truth about his allegations that J&K Ministers have been on the Army’s pay rolls since the independence.
The Assembly session began in the backdrop of heightened level of violence, alleged killing of civilians at the hands of security forces in Gool Ramban, Shopian and Hajin; Kishtwar riots and volatile situation along the 740-kilometer line of Control.
As the session took off with an obituary reference over the death of a former parliamentarian and a legislator, members of Opposition National Panthers Party (NPP) shouted slogans against the ruling coalition. They demanded immediate dismissal of Omar Abdullah led government alleging it has failed on all accounts. Harshdev Singh, a senior NPP leader asked Chief Minister to stop questioning the finality of accession of Jammu and Kashmir with the Union of India saying such utterances encourage infiltrators.
Speaker Mubarak Gul told the House that he has admitted a privilege motion against the former Army Chief VK Singh seeking proceedings against him over the controversial statements about J&K’s mainstream politicians. An inquiry report leaked by a newspaper revealed that during Singh’s tenure, Agriculture Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir has received Rs 1.19 crore from secret fund of the Army. Singh, justified the payment and subsequently revealed that J&K ministers have been on the army’s payrolls since the independence. The statement evoked sharp criticism from the Valley.
Interestingly, law Minister Mir Saifullah has submitted the privilege motion in the lower house while another minister Ajay Sadhotra and two legislators Davinder Rana and Khalid Najeeb Suharwardy moved the motion in the upper house. The Chairman of Upper House Amrit Malhotra referred the motion to privilege committee.
Marxist legislator MY Tarigami suggested that the House should pass a resolution unanimously asking the Center to probe VK Singh’s allegations thoroughly.
But, the ruling NC appeared to debate the issue rather bluntly to gain political mileage. Finance Minister Abdur Rahim Rather said that Singh would not find any escape route and NC would ensure that he stands in the State Assembly to reveal the names of those people whom he transferred money.
“This man (VK Singh) will not find any escape route now. We are after him and we will force him to utter the truth. He should come up with the facts and we will make full use of law to make him stand in our House as he has tarnished our image,” Rather said.
“I request every member of this august house to support the privilege motion and put the former army chief in the dock of this house for attempting to bring down the prestige of this house. The house has the power to do so,” Rather asserted. He said that his party would submit a special plea with the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi to bring VK Singh here to answer for his “silly and foolish remarks.
Meanwhile, Opposition leader Mehbooba Mufti raked up issue of alleged human rights violations in the State. She said that justice has become the biggest casualty in the State and lawlessness is the hallmark of the current dispensation.