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When
Mufti Sayeed took over as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir in November
2002, he made his presence felt by launching the beautification drive that
consisted of dismantling of the unauthorized structures along the main
roads of both Jammu and Kashmir cities. But the drive was left mid way
because some of his party colleagues were reportedly involved in the
encroachments. The result was obvious. The hope, which was generated with
the fall of the first illegal structure that all land grabbers and
encroachers would be crushed with heavy hand ended up in a fiasco. The so
called beautification drive remains suspended even today though action by
the two Municipal Corporations create some occasional news by clearing
road side hoardings that are rebuilt the next morning.
When
Azad became Chief Minister he also tried to make his presence felt by
raiding the houses of some of the officers having made properties
disproportionate to their known sources of income. The beginning was good
that evoked hope among the people that corrupts would meet their fate
soon, but like Mufti’s beautification drive Azad’s drive to make the
State a corruption free zone also seems to have ended up in a fiasco.
After acting against about a dozen ‘corrupt officers’ the Government may
claim to have done a good beginning, but this certainly did not mean that
there were no other such officers against whom action could be taken. In
our system even Chief Minister cannot swindle public money unless he has
like minded men in his right and left. Similarly, men like Asghar Ali Pir
who have been forcibly retired on charges of corruption cannot be without
supporters’ right, left, up and below them. What action has been taken
against them? Even in the infamous ‘Srinagar Sex Scam’ some existing and
former ministers have been reported to be involved. They seem to be left
out because most of them belong to Congress. In this back drop does it
not look to be a half hearted approach against those involved in the scam
and that those put behind bars do not look to be like mere scapegoats?
The
State has been adjudged as number two in the field of corruption.
Obviously, only those ten or twenty people against whom the Vigilance
department has framed cases can not be the lone corrupt ones. There are
many more sailing in the same boat. Azad’s pledge of making Jammu and
Kashmir a corruption free state is a good slogan, but will the difficult
job be done by half hearted actions? To make the State a corruption free
state it is imperative that strict action is taken against those whose
integrity is found doubtful. But in Jammu and Kashmir, on the contrary
those indicted in notorious scams continue to be rewarded either by
promoting them or by giving them prize postings. The element of terror
within the officialdom that had been created in the beginning has
evaporated in the thin air. Had this not been the case, the ration of the
Public Distribution Department would not have been sold in the open
market even now despite the fact that a couple of officers of the
department had already been arrested for their reported corrupt practice.
For good governance follow up action is a must. If Jagmohan could do it
single handed why a CM with a battery of Ministers at his disposal can’t,
do it?
But
let’s not forget that there is a vast difference between the ministers
called advisors in Jagmohan’s cabinet and those in the coalition
Government. Whereas the advisors would try to be honest, the ministers
have a corrupt image. To substantiate my point, let me quote example of
the State CAPD Minister who has come out with a stunning statement
wherein he has tried to defend
his subordinates by refuting the claim of the police working on
the Doda Food Scandal. It may be recalled that few days ago the DIG
Police, Udhampur, Doda range and the SSP Doda had claimed that the police
had unearthed food scam worth crores of rupees in Doda district. The
concerned minister has however termed the figures as exaggerated claiming
that a scam worth rupees one and a half lakh could have actually taken
place though he has issued orders of suspension of two senior officers of
the department ‘for hiding facts from their seniors’.
It
may not be out of place to mention that like engineers, the officials and
officers of the CAPD are rich people not because they have become so by
inheriting the assets of their ancestors, but because they belong to
CAPD.
It
may be interesting to know that as Revenue Minister in Mufti Sayeed
Government when the CM had asked him to use ‘restraint’ while indulging
in corrupt practice, instead of feeling ashamed; he was reported as
having said, “Mufti Sahib, aapko honest hona hai to hoiye, magar mujhe
to party challani hai. Main kamaoon ga. Aapko agar etraz hai to mujhe koi
parwah nahin”. As CAPD
Minister also, by defending his corrupt officials the said minister must
be trying to tell Mr. Azad, “Aapko jo karma hai karyei, mujhe to paisa
kamana hai.” The attitude of the CAPD Minister is in contravention to
the pledge taken by the incumbent CM that he will make J&K as an
honest state, but Mr. Azad like Mufti will take no action against him due
to the reason that the minister is Chairman of PDF, which is a partner in
the coalition Government. Taking action against him could be disastrous
for the coalition therefore; he would be allowed to do whatever he wants
to. Noble people believe that corruption and anti-corruption cannot go
together, but in case of Jammu and Kashmir such belief has proved to be
irrelevant. On one hand the CM has been trying to encourage the honest by
decorating them with Gold Medals whereas on the other hand his own
minister is shielding the corrupt thereby making the drive against
corruption a half hearted effort. Obviously, after the remarks of the
minister, the Doda police will not remain as enthusiastic against the
corrupt as they were and this will give lease of life to the corrupt
officials. In this backdrop,
where will Azad’s anti corruption drive land into, is not a difficult
question to answer! Let’s be clear about one thing that half hearted
approach only aggravates problems instead of solving them.
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