Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 18: In a rare instance in history of the Legislature, a Cabinet Minister was raising questions on the Education Department while the Deputy Speaker had heated exchanges with the Minister alleging violation of norms and feasibility saying an officer transferred four times managed to retain the post.
A piquant situation arose when Deputy Chief Minister, Incharge Education Department, Tara Chand was replying to a question of PDP MLA Syed Bashir pertaining to upgradation of schools in Rajpora Assembly constituency.
Deputy Speaker Sartaj Madni, a PDP legislator from Devsar Assembly segment in South Kashmir was on his feet saying Education Department has become “den of corruption”, where norms and feasibility criteria for upgradation of schools was being “sold”.
“A Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) was transferred four times but every time he managed to retain himself getting his transfer order stayed. There were no norms and criteria for upgradation. Corruption is ruling the roost,” Mr Madni shouted.
Tara Chand repeatedly clarified that he had taken over the Department (Education) only about a year back and can’t take responsibility for what has happened in the Department for past seven years but the Deputy Speaker continued shouting alleging a complete mess in the Department.
Mr Chand assured the House that he would also inquire as to how a ZEO managed to retain his post despite being transferred four times.
PDP MLA Zahoor Mir trooped into Well of the House while his party colleague Peer Mansoor Shah alleged that there was complete chaos in Education Department and norms and feasibility were being violated with impunity.
Former Minister and National Conference MLA Javed Dar also tried to speak when Social Welfare Minister Sakina Itoo stood up and wanted that the House should be informed about closure or opening of new schools.
“If a school was approved two or four years back, at whose behest it was done”? she asked
Mr Madni said Rahama Education Zone is headless for past four to five months. “I met him (the Deputy Chief Minister) in his office. He had passed instructions but still there was no ZEO. All progressive works have been stalled,” he added.
Tara Chand said he was happy that a Cabinet Minister (Sakina Itoo) has also raised questions over the Education Department but added that he was in the Education Ministry only for past one year. “She (Sakina Itoo) is also a Minister for five years now. I have been posting ZEOs with consultations of the MLAs concerned,” Tara said.
For third time, Ms Itoo tried to speak but Speaker Mubarak Gul advised her not to do so saying she represented the Government.
“It doesn’t look good,” the Speaker told Sakina.
However, Ms Itoo said, her words had been taken wrong as she was not speaking against the Education Minister but wanted to clear if Mr Madni was MLA for the past five years of his area, he was also responsible for opening and closures of the schools in his segment.
“I didn’t say anything against the Deputy Chief Minister,” she clarified.
Now, it was the turn or the Deputy Speaker, who started shouting at both Deputy Chief Minister and Sakina Itoo saying norms and feasibility were being “sold” in the Education Department.
“Let Sakina Itoo come with me and see the school, I’ve been naming. If I was proved wrong, I thrown an open challenge that I will quit but if Sakina Ji proves wrong, she too should accept the challenge and declare that she will quit,” Mr Madni said, adding that wrong feasibility was created to open a school even as a High School in the area was just 300 meters away.
Sakina Itoo and Sartaj Madni had heated exchanges on the subject for few minutes but their voice was lost in the din. The Speaker tried to intervene but both continued to shout at each other. The shouting stopped only when the Speaker went ahead with next question.
After this, Sakina Itoo went up to the seat of the Deputy Chief Minister and was seen clarifying her position.
Deputy Speaker Sartaj Madni later told the Excelsior in his office chamber that the Government wanted upgradation of Bon Sangdan Primary School in Qazigund by creating wrong feasibility and norms as a High School was functional where within 300 meters.
“I didn’t allow creating of wrong feasibility and violation of norms,” he said, adding after he threw the challenge to quit if he was proved wrong Sakina Itoo should have accepted the challenge if she was right. He said ZEO Qazigund was transferred four times but every time he managed to retain himself. He added that a fake census and habitation was tried to be created for upgradation of the school.
“It was a very important issue. Generally, I don’t raise any issue as I happened to be the Deputy Speaker. Sakina shouldn’t have interfered in the constituencies of others,” Mr Madni said.
In written reply, Tara Chand said the Government has requested Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) for grant of new educational institutions and upgradation of existing one in the State under different central schemes.
He said that after receiving the nod from the Centre these schools would be established and upgraded as per the norms prescribed for the purpose.
The Deputy Chief Minister was replying to the supplementaries raised by some members to the main question by Syed Bashir Ahmed of the PDP. He assured that there would be no discrimination while opening and upgrade educational institutions in any area.
Replying to the main question, the Minister informed that presently there is no provision for upgradation of high schools of Karimabad, Achan, Tahab, Sangarwani, Bandzoo, wahibugh and Rajpora to the next higher level in current financial year. He said middle school Payar qualifies for upgradation to the next level and the proposal of upgradation of Middle Schools including Middle School Payar has been submitted to MHRD for consideration.
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