Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, May 14: The Government today revoked its controversial notice, which sought details of Kashmiri Pandits visiting Kheer Bhawani temple for an annual fair, and also ordered an inquiry into the matter and attached a senior bureaucrat.
Minister for Relief, Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Disaster Management, Javaid Mustafa Mir, told reporters here that inquiry has been ordered to look into how such notice was issued without the knowledge of any officer in the department including the Minister.
“We have ordered an inquiry into how this notice was issued without the knowledge of any officer in the department including the Minister, he said.
Mir said that the officer who issued the notice had been relieved from the department. “We have asked the General Administration Department to attach the said officer”, he added.
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He said that there are no orders from the Government for registration of pilgrims for visiting Mela Kheer Bhawani. He said a high-level inquiry committee has been constituted to investigate the issuance of a notice by the Deputy Commissioner Relief (Migrants) in this regard.
“The inquiry committee will be headed by Commissioner/ Secretary Relief and Rehabilitation and Disaster Management,” the Minister said.
He said taking a serious note of the issuance of the notice without any administrative approval, the Government has initiated disciplinary action against the Deputy Commissioner Relief (Migrants) Kuldeep Krishen Sidha and has ordered his immediate attachment.
The Minister clarified that the Kashmiri Pandits are state subjects and do not need any kind of registration for the annual Kheer Bhawani Mela. “There is no need for registration of Kashmiri Pandits for visiting the Mela,” he said.
“We cannot have them questioned or scrutinized. They can come anytime and need not register. They are our part and we cannot question them on their entry or exit. This is totally unacceptable and I regret it”, the Minister said.
Mir said he had no information about the notice till it was highlighted by the media. “While I take full responsibility as the concerned Minister, an officer had issued this notice on his own. He did not inform me or any other officer in the department and there is no need for such a notice”, he said.
Admitting that the notice has sent a bad signal, the Minister added that a probe would establish how it happened. “I think it is a mistake on the part of the officer and I do not think there was any deliberate attempt”, he added.
Asked about the security arrangements for the Kheer Bhawani mela, Mir said utmost security measures in every respect will be taken.
Our J ammu Correspondent adds:-
Meanwhile, some KP organizations in camp and non camp areas of Jammu have expressed their surprise over the Government action against DC Relief and termed it a “conspiracy.”
The Buta Nagar, TRT Camp inmates while commenting on the Notice issued by Relief Organization said that there was nothing wrong in it. “Such registration was being made every year by the camp commandants or zonal officers to figure out the number of migrants intending to visit the holy shrines in Valley on the occasion of Jesht Ashtami for making the arrangement of buses and other facilities accordingly,” said Ashok Dhar a camp leader and social activist.
He said one fails to understand what was wrong in the notice this time when no body raised fingers previously then why an issue was made this time by certain vested elements.
“We strongly condemn those forces who try to create confusion in the community for their vested interests and pose themselves as well wishers of community”, he added.
Rakesh Kaul president, Sampooran Kashmiri Sangthan (SKS) said it is unfortunate that the Government acted in haste and made an officer scapegoat who for ensuring the better facilities for the pilgrims intending to visit the Kheer Bhawani had issued the notice to ascertain the total figure of yatris who want to perform darshan at various shrines of Kheer Bhwani in Valley and added “I don’t think there was any thing wrong in that”.
Rakesh said that SKS and other migrant organizations will protest against the decision of Government tomorrow which is working on the behest of certain Delhi based leaders. He demanded that order be rescinded immediately.
Shadi Lal Pandita, president Jagti Tenement Committee (JTC), while taking strong exception to Government order said that there was nothing wrong in the notice. He said it was decided in the meeting which was attended by some prominent community leaders including heads of various migrant bodies and one MLC that for making proper arrangements the consent should be taken from the people intending to visit the holy shrines as was precedence earlier also.
But unfortunately some vested interests tried to make a controversy over the issue when it is no issue at all. This registration process has been there from 1996 and the Government on the basis of the same was arranging the buses which were allotted to yatris free of cost.
“One doesn’t understand why some people sitting at Delhi are unnecessarily trying to make an issue out of non issue and have hatched a conspiracy against the officer”, he added.
PDP Migrant Cell president, Ashok Sidha while expressing his surprise over the decision appealed Chief Minister and Relief and Rehabilitation Minister to rescind the order as registration of names was a routine process every year and there was nothing new in it.
He said certain people are working against the interests of the community who often try to make issue out of a non issue and create confusion among the people.
“There is nothing wrong in the notice and it was decided in a meeting in which prominent people of the community including the Relief Commissioner was present”, he added.
Sundri Lal Kaul, a representative of over aged youth and relief holders while backing Sidha said that he too was present in the meeting in this regard which was attended by a MLC and the prominent persons of the community including the representatives of various camps.
The Government is arranging the free buses and till it does not know how many people are visiting how can it ascertain that how many buses are required for the pilgrims.
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