Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is in the habit of ‘liberally’ donating money to the needy, well deserving youth, poor patients, and sometimes even to victims of militant/separatist violence in the Kashmir valley.
Shockingly, he has remained indifferent to the plea of the kin of Chamel Singh, the Indian prisoner who was killed inside the Pakistan prison four-and-half months ago.
No one in the family of Chamel Singh has any clue on what is stopping their CM to award adequate compensation as was done in similar cases in other parts of India. Chamel Singh was attacked and brutally tortured inside the Kot lakhpat Central Jail on January 15, 2013, and his body was handed over to his family on March 13 after a gap of 57 days.
On last Sunday when this correspondent asked Omar about the reasons behind the delay in awarding compensation, the Chief Minister maintained the State is holding discussions with the Centre over the issue. “We are holding discussions with the Centre. I am not going to get in to further details,” he quipped before taking another question.
Interestingly, the official records and handouts issued by the State Information department revealed that Omar Abdullah has been frequently making liberal donations and sanctioning relief/compensation on his own without holding any discussions with the Centre.
CASE STUDIES
In March 2011, the Omar Abdullah Government sanctioned `5.10 crore as compensation for the 102 people killed during 2010 unrest in the Kashmir Valley.
In March 2012, Omar Abdullah sanctioned `5 lakh for Afroza of larkipora, Budgam who gave birth to quintuplets at lal Ded Hospital.
The Chief Minister had also directed Minister of State for Health, Javaid Ahmed Dar to visit lal Ded Hospital and enquire about the health of mother and the babies.
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Generous Omar has money for all, not Chamel kin
In March 2013, the Omar Government appointed an acid-attack victim in the Education department, on compassionate grounds.
Omar Abdullah's close aide and National Conference Provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani, also an MlA Amira Kadal and Tanvir Sadiq, Political Secretary to the Chief Minister visited the victim's house in Baghat Barzulla and handed over an appointment order for her engagement in the education department. The job was provided to her on compassionate grounds. Sadiq and Wani assured her of all help in future as well.
In addition the State Government headed by Omar Abdullah has been proactive in ensuring rehabilitation of the POK youth returning from across the line of control and is advocating their case for safe passage via Nepal border before entering India.
But Omar Abdullah regime seems to treat Chamel Singh's case differently. No Minister or State Government representative called on the family. Recently, when the family members called on Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, he too gave them mere assurances.
Deepak Singh, one of the four sons of Chamel Singh, said: “We have lost all our hope of receiving justice from the State Government. We are now awaiting the response of the President of India to our genuine demands”.