SRINAGAR: Underscoring the need for unearthing the veracity of the allegations leveled by the former Army Chief V. K. Singh against mainstream politicians, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Monday said that he had written to the Prime Minister of India for a time bound probe in a transparent manner to ascertain the facts for sharing these with general public.
On 25th of September I have written to the Prime Minister of India for the need of instituting a probe into the allegations made by the Retired General V. K. Singh jeopardizing the mainstream polity in Jammu and Kashmir and creating suspicion in the minds of people on the role of Army, he said and read out the text of his D.O to the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh written in this regard, in the Legislative Assembly while winding up the discussion on V. K. Singhs statements regarding payments made to mainstream politicians in the State since 1947.
The main contents of the D. O letter written by the Chief Minister to the Prime Minister of India are: I wish to draw your kind attention towards a news item that has appeared in the print media and also extensively debated on certain TV channels relating to alleged payments by some establishment of Army Authorities to a few politicians including Ministers in the J&K Government. Apparently, this news has its origin from an internal inquiry conducted by the Army Authorities.
The said news has spawned a great deal of anger in the public in general and the political class in particular in the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The charges, being of serious nature, need to be probed in order to arrive at truth which can be shared with the general public. Without any specific details the finger of suspicion is being pointed towards all mainstream politicians. This has caused enormous damage to the institutions of democracy in the state and allowed forces inimical to the democratic processes here to paint all mainstream politicians as paid operatives of the Army.
I would request you to ask the Ministry of Defence to share the contents of the above mentioned report with the State Government and also disclose the names of the people to whom the money has allegedly been transferred. Such a course of action will help clear the confusion and doubts from the minds of the people and restore, to a significant extent, credibility of mainstream political parties/members amongst our people.
The Chief Minister reiterated this demand and said that in order to restore the credibility of the politicians and democratic institutions including those of Panchayats, it is the need of the hour that Central Government would institute a probe into the matter in a time bound and transparent manner.
Omar Abdullah said that by asking questions to Retired Army Chief about his role should not be dubbed as belittling the stupendous role of Army and the high credibility of Indian Armed Forces which have given huge sacrifices for safeguarding the borders and ensuring safety and security of the people. Asking Retired General about his extra-curricular role does not in any way contribute to belittling the Indian Army, he said and maintained that the findings were identified by the Army itself which got leaked and became the subject matter for political and media discussion. He said the mode of the House to censure Retired General V. K. Singh for his statements made by him in public as a private person should not be painted as any attempt at criticizing the institution of Indian Army.
We have always saluted Army for the good work it has rendered, but whenever we thought some shortcomings we categorically brought those to the notice of the Army. This is the democracy and we live in democratic set up but not in a dictatorial system, he said and added that the Retired General has played with the honour of the mainstream politicians and they are in their right to demand a probe in the allegations so that facts come to fore Dood Ka Dood, Pani Ka Pani
Omar Abdullah said that he has not asked the Agriculture Minister, Ghulam Hassan Mir whether he has taken Rs. 1.19 crore for toppling his government. I leave this to his conscience whether he has taken it or not but if I had believed that he has taken it to topple my government I would have asked him to resign, he said maintaining that even a Municipal Corporation could not be toppled by Rs. 1.19 crore not to talk of the State Government.
Omar Abdullah said that the disclosures made by Retired General have put the democratic institutions in the State to most dangerous threat which these have not come across so far. Retired Generals differences with me or his opposition to AFSPA is irrelevant in this regard. For that matter the serving Army Chief has also not agreed to the partial revocation of AFSPA. The matter is under discussion and would be resolved, he said separating this issue from the main issue of disclosures made by the Retired General.
The Chief Minister moved a one line resolution for urging the Union Government to constitute an inquiry into the allegations made by Retired General V. K. Singh, in a time bound and transparent manner. The House adopted the resolution unanimously which reads as:
The House unanimously resolves that the allegation made by Retired General V. K. Singh should be enquired in a time bound and transparent manner by the Government of India.
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