.In a hurriedly convened meeting of the Political Affairs Committee of Panun Kashmir, presided over by the Convener, Dr. Agnishekhar, a unanimous resolution was passed extending Kashmiri Pandits’ whole hearted support to and endorsement of the movement against corruption launched by the noted social activist and a Gandhian, Anna Hazare.
Dr. Agnishekhar said that the demand of Anna Hazare for enactment of the Lok Pal Bill with stringent measures against corruption is timely, appropriate and culmination of the weaning away of the peoples’ patience over plunging India, by some unscrupulous politicians and bureaucrats, into a hotbed of corruption, scams, loot and losses to the state exchequers. He further said that corruption has seeped into the very gene of politico- administrative system of the country in an unprecedented manner .
Dr. Agnishekhar cited the brazen and glaring examples of Adarash Housing scam, CWG bungling, UP food scam, 2G Spectrum loot, fake pilots scam etc; by which the perpetrators have shamed
The Delhi unit of Panun Kashmir was complimented for joining the stir at Delhi itself while all units across the country were directed to follow suit .Dr. Agnishekhar expressed concern over the lackadaisical approach of the lowest ebb of the government in response to the non-violent and Gandhian style of protest by Anna Hazare for riddance of the country from all pervading menace of corruption afflicting our country.
Jammu Citizens Forum has also expressed its solidarity with and whole hearted support to Anna Hazare, the crusader against corruption, who has resorted to fast unto death at Jantar Mantar,
A meeting of the Citizens Forum was held today under the Chairmanship of its President RK Chadha and attended by DK Khajuria, Senior Advocate, Sham Sunder Anand Lehar, Senior Advocate, Yash Bhasin, Senior Journalist, Vikram Gour Retd. Chief Engineer, SK Gupta Retd. Chief Engineer, SIH Khursheed Kazmi Retd. Conservator of Forests, Mohd. Ayub Khan Retd.
The forum further assailed the State Government for making the J&K Accountability Commission as non-functional, after its former Chairman Late RP Sethi had resigned as a protest against undue interference of the Government in the functioning of the Commission and steps taken to curtail its powers and independence. The forum also sharply criticized over 100 percent hike in the salaries and perks of Chief Minister, other ministers, legislators and pension and other benefits to the former legislators effected recently by the legislature itself.
It observed that whereas pensions and relief provided to the poor widows is hardly few hundred rupees per month and even the handicapped are given pension upto rupees 400-500 per month, the ministers and legislators are pocketing upto rupees one lakh each per month. The poor widows and disabled persons are made to run from pillar to post and take several rounds of the Social Welfare office to get their pension, the legislators have got exorbitant hike in their emoluments in a single go.
Rajput Sabha has demanded that men of proven integrity should be co-opted by Government in drafting the comprehensive and effective Lokpal Bill and appointing a Lokpal to whom the Chief Minister and all his ministerial colleagues should be accountable and that the Lokpal should have the powers to take stern action and punish those in public life if found guilty.
Various Sikh organizations including Bhai Kanahiya Nishkam Seva Society, Shiromani Youth Akali Dal, United Secular Forum, AISSF, Sikh Welfare Society and leaders of several other organizations who participated in the meeting extended their full support to Anna Hazare in his crusade against corruption.
All J&K Movement for Peace and Justice under the leadership of Kuldeep Kumar Rao, other leaders present being S Deep Singh, Om Parkash Rao, G S Charak, Om Raj Bhall, S N Saproo, R L Raina, R R Manhas, Kanwarjeet Singh Thakur, Anil Kumar Bhagat, K K Rao, Romesh Lal, Madan Gopal, Ghulam Nabi, Sanjay Kumar, Kalyan Singh Chib, Yog Raj Sharma and Behari Lal.
SKUAST-J Teachers Association has also supported the movement launched by Anna Hazare and assured their full cooperation and support for the noble cause. This was resolved in a meeting of SKUAST teachers under the leadership of Dr Narinder Singh.
The Youth Congress unit of J & K led by R. S. Pathania, senior Vice-President, J & K Pradesh Youth Congress, has made a fervent appeal to the state government to keep his ears close to the ground in the wake of a nation-wide chorus and chord created by Anna Hazare’s national movement against corruption calling for immediate establishment of a Lokpal. Going by the relevance, soundness and national significance of the issue of formulation of a Joint Action Committee for setting up of Lokpal and greater role of civil society in the crusade against corruption, Youth Congress has no doubt or double opinion about the veracity and pertinence of the issues sought to be raked over by the Maharashtra-based Gandhian. Youth Congress rather calls for a nation-wide movement against corruption and maladministration and red tape, but within the parameters of law and constitution. And wherever it is felt that the law of the land is inapt or insufficient, efforts should sincerely be initiated to replace/improve/enact the particular provisions of law at the earliest.
And particularly, so far as the state of J & K is concerned, we are having a headless Accountability Commission since the past three years with about three hundred-odd complaints against ministers, bureaucrats and legislators pending adjudication. Pathania appealed the Chief Minster to keep away ‘tainted’ politicos and bureaucrats from plum spots/positions in the civil secretariat. The State Vigilance Commission has also been a hollow slogan till now with the existing provisions of law and the law book totally inadequate to punish the ‘corrupt’ people. The bureaucrats and politicians have amassed wealth and assets totally disproportionate to their known sources of income which requires a roving introspection. Furthermore, Pathania further called for strengthening the ‘right to information’ ‘transparency’ and ‘accountability’ in the affairs of government. The J & K Right to Information is an inadequate piece of legislation and has glaring differences as compared to the legislation in force throughout the country and these differences strike at the very root of the very concept of ‘right to information’ in J & K. The PIOs/AAs are least prepared and trained for the job. He also called for strengthening ‘e-governance’ and e-administration in the state with the entire functions, programmes,
Prominent among who remained present in the emergently convened meeting included Amit Manhas, Shivang Satya Gupta, Aditya Sharma, Manu Jamwal, Bharat Priye, , ZS Malik, Shafiq Rehman Bhat, Dr. Ajay Jamwal, Chander Sharma, Vikram Singh Bhandari, Shashi Bhushan, Nadim Sharif, DS Manhas, Ajay Bakshi, Ajay Taloor, Yudhbir Singh and others.
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