Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 29: Reiterating resolve of his party to establish a transparent and accountable system to provide good governance to the people of the State, patron of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said that during the PDP led regime sincere efforts were made to keep a check on corruption and to bring transparency in the governance.
Addressing a conference organized on the role of NGOs in eradicating corruption, Mr Sayeed reminded that it was during the regime of PDP that State Accountability Commission (SAC) was constituted and autonomous status was given to this anti-graft body. He, however, reiterated his demand that the SAC must be equipped with independent investigating agency to ensure impartial investigation in all corruption cases.
“Without equipping SAC with an independent investigating agency, it is not possible to conduct impartial inquiry into the corruption complaints lodged with the Commission”, he maintained.
Emphasizing on the need to bring transparency in the governance, the PDP patron regretted that even after 63 years of independence, no mechanism has been evolved to make politicians accountable. “I don’t know what is the reason for not forming a mechanism to check political corruption ?”, he asked and added that lack of accountability and lack of transparency in the governance was the main reason of recent scam involving crores and crores of rupees. He especially mentioned about 2G and Common Wealth Games (CWG) scams, which had generated debate all over the country on the issue of corruption.
“The menace of corruption has eroded our system and common masses are not getting justice due to corruption, nepotism and favourtism”, he said adding there should be a consensus at national level on the formation of Lokpal. “Government as well as leader of opposition should evolve consensus on the formation of Lokpal because corruption is one of the biggest problem in the country”, he said and emphasized that there should be an independent investigating agency to investigate corruption cases.
“Furthermore jurisdiction of Lokpal should not be confined only to politicians and officers from top to bottom level should also be brought under its purview”, he said and supported the demand that Prime Minister and Chief Minister should also be under the purview of Lokpal.
Observing that one should have to take some hard decisions to streamline the system, the PDP patron reminded that during his tenure as Chief Minister the process of recruitment was institutionalized and appointments on Government jobs were made in total transparent manner.
Speaking on the occasion, former Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig, took the present Omar Abdullah regime to task for patronizing corruption in the State. He mentioned that SAC has issued notices to ministers of the Coalition Government but no action has been taken.
“Instead of facilitating the SAC to investigate charges of corruption against ministers, the Government has deputed its own advocates to get the investigation process stayed”, he said and observed that such action of the Government authenticated that those at the helm of affairs were themselves patronizing the corruption and weakening the anti-graft bodies like SAC. He said that during the last three years corruption has crossed all limits. He mentioned towards report of Transparency International, in which rampant corruption in Jammu and Kashmir was highlighted.
Earlier, addressing a public meeting at Preet Nagar area of Gandhi Assembly segment, the PDP patron said that it was his desire to establish a system where every person would get justice and equal opportunities for development. He said that PDP was committed to provide corruption free Government to the people.
Responding to the demands raised by the locals, PDP patron said that problems of refugees from other sides of Line of Control (LoC) would be discussed when any meeting for the resolution of Kashmir problem would be held in future. “Problems of these refugees would be part of negotiation on Kashmir”, he reiterated and demanded one time settlement of the issue of these refugees.
Former Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig also spoke on the occasion and highlighted achievements of the previous PDP led regime.
Vice president of PDP Trilok Singh Bajwa demanded opening of Suchetgarh-Sailkote road to facilitate pilgrims of Panja Sahib. He said that opening of this route would help in improvement of socio-economic conditions of the people of this belt.
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