Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Jan 22: Sharing the concern of opposition members including former Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) Legislative Party leader, Omar Abdullah about the “wrong information” provided to members in reply to their cut motions, Deputy Speaker, Legislative Assembly, Nazir Ahmed Gurezi today asked the State Government to conduct an inquiry into the matter.
The issue was raised by NC MLA from Pahalgam, Altaf Ahmed Kaloo in the Assembly this afternoon during the debate on grants of PWD Ministry. Kaloo, who turned tables on the Government, said that there is total discrimination in the macdamization of roads in the constituencies represented by the opposition members and he cited the examples of some constituencies represented by PDP Legislators which got lion’s share.
The MLA said that in Anantnag Constituency represented by Chief Minister, 84.60 km road was macadamized while in Bijbehara constituency represented by Minister of Revenue, Abdul Rehman Veeri 74.60 km road was macadamized during 2017-18. This was refuted by Veeri, who said the information given in reply to cut motion is not correct.
The Minister said that the officers, who provided this wrong information will be taken to task.
However, the MLA displayed the reply given to him in his cut motion and also submitted a copy of it to Deputy Speaker who was conducting the proceedings at that time.
As Veeri said that the information is not correct, Omar Abdullah stood up and said “we are disputing the figures. If member says that figures are discriminative and the Minister says they are wrong then whom we will trust”, he added.
The former Chief Minister, said same will be the case with all constructions.
To put the record straight, Works Minister, Naeem Akhtar informed the House that width of the road is 12 feet in general but at some places it is 17 feet or so and the officers have made measurements accordingly and on that basis figures have been given.
By calculating 17 feet width it became 74 km in Bijbehara, he said. Interrupting him, Omar said “we have learnt in the school that Km is a km which is measured lengthwise”.
Meanwhile, Abdul Majid Larmi also joined the issue and said that wrong information was also provided about his constituency. Taking serious exception, the Deputy Speaker asked the Government not to take MLAs for granted and don’t consider this House is represented by illiterate people and don’t take it non seriously. “The time has gone when the MLAs were illiterate now they are highly educated and they can’t be misled”, he added.
Akbar Lone of NC said that officer who has given the wrong information should be taken to task. The Deputy Speaker said the Minister will ensure that the officers will not do the same in future.
Omar said that the figures given vary as there is one information were given to MLA Homeshalibug another to Mubarak Gul and quite different to another MLA. Though Deputy Speaker reiterated that Minister will enquire it, Opposition MLAs from Congress and NC stood up and argued with him.
The Deputy Speaker informed them that he has given the ruling that Minister will probe the matter so you take the seats.
Not satisfied NC’s Ali Mohammad Sagar said that reply is signed by the Minister himself so how he can take action against the officer when he himself has signed the reply.
Supporting him, Kaloo said in Amirakadal, 106 kms were macadamized while 18 kms in Uri which is represented by one of the senior most MLAs belonging to NC. “It is a shame for the Government and asked it what happened to the slogan “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas”. You have made mockery of this slogan. Is this Sabka Saath”, he asked?
Shamima Firdous, MLA Habba Kadal said that 16 kms of road in her constituency while 93 kms in Batamaloo constituency and 108 kms in Hazratbal constituency were macadamized.
Ali Mohammed Sagar said that Minister has taken an oath that he will not do any discrimination with any area and it does not behold good for the Minister that he will subject the constituencies represented by Opposition to discrimination.
He said “I am a hardcore NC member but are not we the public representatives”. He accused the Minister of stopping the works in the Opposition constituencies and asked him that what he gained by that. He stated that he as well his party will again emerge victorious.
Sagar told Naeem Akhtar “you are a credible Minister but create credibility in character also”. He said Minister should not indulge in political vendetta. He coined a new name for PWD and said “the way you are working the PWD should be named as political vendetta Department. The political vendetta is also corruption”, he added.
Sagar said that they expected that the Minister will do every thing right but it didn’t happen. The NC Legislator while displaying a copy of Excelsior said that in its front page story it has quoted vigilance report saying “Works, Revenue, Police, Health etc are among 10 most corrupt departments”.
The discrimination issue was also raised by Congress MLA from Devsar Mohammad Amin Bhat who said his constituency is also being neglected.
Later, Larmi said that the coalition has not done macadamization in the constituency represented by Omar Abdullah and how can other members expect justice from it.
MLA Udhampur, Pawan Gupta who also raised the issue and said his constituency is being subjected to discrimination. He said he has no expectations from the present coalition. He wanted an assurance from Minister on granting a road to Udhampur under CRF and said don’t subject him to political victimization.
The MLA also protested after Deputy Speaker asked him to sit down as he took seven minutes to speak instead of five minutes as allotted. The Member protested and took up his papers to stage a walk out. However, Nazir Gurezi requested him to go back to his seat and he will accommodate him in the next sitting.
During the debate BJP’s Dilip Parihar accused previous Congress Government and targeted G M Saroori who was R&B Minister for three years in previous coalition of not doing justice to the Doda district where no attention was paid to road construction. He said the condition of Batote-Kishtwar road was worst in their rule and it has been macadamized by the present Government. Though Saroori interrupted him but the Minister of Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs, Abul Rehman Veeri asked him not to interrupt the MLA.
The MLAs from Ladakh region, Asgar Karbalai and Deldan Namgyal showed concern over delay in construction of Zojila Tunnel. Karbalai said that for last 14 years the tunnel has not been constructed the DPRs for which were framed in 2004.
Namgyal said that the Union Minister for Surface Transport, Nitin Gadkari has not done any pity on Ladakh by sanctioning the Zojila tunnel as Ladakh is a strategic region having borders with two countries.
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