BJP and Panthers objects to Wajahat’s presence
By News Agency of Kashmir
New Delhi : The much awaited meeting of Fourth Kashmir Working Group on ‘Strengthening Centre-State Relations’ started under the chairmanship of former supreme Court judge Justice (Rted) Saghir Ahmed, here today.
As expected the presence of Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah ‘Strengthening Centre-State Relations’ evoked sharp criticism from the members affiliated with Bhartiya Janta Party and Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party.
Sources, some of whom were present in the meeting, told News Agency of Kashmir that the reacting to the sharp criticism from the participants, the Information Commissioner even tried to leave the meeting half way.
However, the situation was diffused on the intervention of National Conference leader Abdul Rahim Rather and Union Minister for Water Resources Saifuddin Soz who insisted upon Wajahat to to make his presentation.
After a gap of more than four months, the Working Group is holding its fourth meeting here to discuss state center relationships. Though all the other Kashmir Working Groups, constituted by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, have already communicated its recommendations to the PM, the Fourth Working Group is yet to finalise its recommendations.
Sources said that JKNPP MLA and former education minister Harsh Dev Singh objected to the presence of Wajahat Habibullah in the meeting saying, “In which capacity is he (Wajahat) here?”
Dr. Ajay Chrungoo of Panun Kashmir chairman asked Justice Sageer Ahmed, if other experts on Kashmir were also being invited for the presentation.
Sources told News Agency of Kashmir that Harsh Dev in his address also highlighted the issue of alleged discrimination against Jammu and said that political discrimination is the root cause of other discriminations in the state.
“Jammu has more geographical area and more voter population yet its share in the Assembly seats is 37 as compared to 46 of Kashmir Valley. Besides Kashmir has 3 Member parliaments while Jammu has only 2”, he said.
Quoting the figures of last three years, National Conference leader Abdul Rahim Rather asserted that Jammu region was getting liberal financial assistance during these years.
Speaker of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Tara Chand, Ashwani Sharma, MLA, Arun Jaitley, general secretary BJP, CPI (M) MLA MY Tarigami, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, Pahari leader Rafiq Khan were also present in the meeting.