Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 20: Budget session of the State Legislature beginning February 28 was likely to be very stormy especially in the initial days with main opposition, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and others raking up the issue of Afzal Guru’s execution while Jammu based Opposition parties taking up the Government on failed promises of employment, refugees, empowerment of Panchayats, holding of Municipal elections and giving corruption free governance.
On their part, the National Conference-Congress coalition partners have geared up to counter the Opposition. The Alliance would devise its strategy jointly in the Legislature Party meeting on the eve of session especially its stand on Guru’s execution on which a lot of uproar was expected with the Opposition attempting to move Motion and Resolution seeking return of Guru’s body to his family.
Apart from the Opposition, the ruling Alliance could also face some heat from the MLAs, who failed to make it to the Council of Ministry in last month’s expansion, which was under taken after three and a half years and the Ministers, who were dropped.
Though the Kupwara trio—Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan, Saifullah Mir and Kafeel-ur-Rehman—who had quite often created trouble for the Government in the Assembly were now part of the Government with first two inducted in the Cabinet and Kafeel given Cabinet rank as Vice Chairman of Pahari Welfare Advisory Board and Nazir Gurezi also inducted as the Minister of State with Independent Charge, the other aspirants in both the parties could embarrass the Government, the insiders said.
This would be first session of present dispensation without Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone, who used to tackle the Opposition very effectively with his statesmanship and arguments, albeit sometimes losing temper. The Government had to elect new Speaker on first day of the session.
“Guru’s shadow would definitely cast trouble in the Assembly. We are not even able to think of Bills, Resolutions and other issues as the Government of India has pushed every thing including the peace process way behind by executing Guru in such a manner which has generated a lot of anger among the people of Kashmir’’, senior PDP leader and MLA Nizam-ud-Din Bhat said.
His stand dropped enough hints that the PDP was going to pursue the issue vigorously in the Legislative Assembly making the budget session stormy. Though Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has also echoed sentiments of the people by supporting demand for return of Guru’s body, the NC leaders admitted that it would be tough to control rampaging PDP in the House especially when the Congress members can’t back the NC leaders as it was their Government, which executed Guru.
However, Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather said it was the job of the Opposition to rake up issues in the Assembly but the Government has effective replies to their each and every query.
“We know what issues the Opposition parties would raise. Some of their issues are just for the sake of doing opposition of the Government. We would counter them effectively. We will reply to their arguments’’, Mr Rather said, adding “it was, however, a different matter that if the Opposition was adamant on creating trouble, who can stop them’’?
Though the Government has set up the State Vigilance Commission (SVC) ahead of the session by nominating former DGP Kuldeep Khoda as Chief Vigilance Commissioner and RK Jerath as Vigilance Commissioner, the Opposition planned to grill the Government on diluting powers of Chief Information Commission (CIC) and State Accountability Commission (SAC).
“I would move a legislation in budget session of the Assembly seeking suo moto powers to SAC for taking action against the corrupt political leaders’’, CPM leader Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami said, adding this was a must to tackle the menace of corruption.
Mr Tarigami said the Panchayats have been rendered handicapped without powers and the Government has failed to keep up its promise of holding elections to Municipalities. “What happened to the Government promise of fast track recruitment of 60,000 jobs and 43,000 casual appointments’’? he asked.
NPP Legislature Party leader Harshdev Singh said the NPP would forcefully take up the issue of “non governance’’ in the State. “There is no accountability, no work culture, unemployment is increasing every day. Administrative machinery has paralysed. The people were disenchanted with the Government. The fiscal indiscipline is increasing’’, he added.
BJP president and MLA Nagrota, Jugal Kishore said the party would grill the Government for delay in empowerment of Panchayats, which have been rendered defunct, addressing problems of West Pakistan and PoK refugees and delay in holding elections to Municipal bodies.
Congress leader and former Minister Ghulam Mohammad Saroori said the Congress would seek discussion on State Finance Commission (SFC) report and implementation of the recommendations given by one of its members, Swami Raj Sharma, which haven’t been incorporated in the report deliberately.
“To check uneven distribution of funds, we would like SFC report to be discussed and implemented including recommendations of Mr Sharma’’, he said, adding that the Commission had been set up by former Chief Minister and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad for equal treatment to all three regions. Mr Saroori said the Congress would seek Hill Development Council for Chenab Valley and Rajouri-Poonch.
Jammu State Morcha (JSM) MLA Ashwani Sharma said the Government has not met the demands of border people, refugees, unemployed youth and failed to address concerns of Jammu people on discrimination.
“Unemployment is rampant. The Government has promised fast track recruitment but done nothing so far. All these issues would be raised in the Assembly’’, he said, adding the Government would be taken to task for its week policies on terrorism.
Sources said Legislature Parties of all main political parties would meet a day or two ahead of the session to devise strategy to be adopted in the House.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel