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| Kashmir Inc. picks holes in RSGC functioning | | 'Babus, politicians calling the shots' | | Abdul Majid
Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 6: The Kashmir Inc. has decided to take on the bureaucrats who have turned the Royal Springs Golf Club (RSGC) at Cheshma Shahi here into their fiefdom.
At a joint press conference, the representatives of various business organizations including Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI), Federation Chamber of Commerce and Industries Kashmir (FCIK), Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) and the Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) said that favoritism and "other illegal affairs" were ruling the roost at the RSGC.
The business people represented by FCIK president Muhammad Ashraf Mir, KTMF president Muhammad Yasin Khan and KCCI's senior vice president Mushtaq Ahmed Wani said instead of serving tourists and other genuine golfers the hangout was serving a group of bureaucrats and their personal desires.
The RSGC affairs are run by the Tourism Department. It is for the first time that RSGC, seen as one of the biggest misadventures of the then Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah has been put to public scrutiny. In 2000, Abdullah destroyed the city forest to convert it into golfing venue, his favorite pastime. Till now, corporate Kashmir had been silent over the issue. But today it was start of revealing the "dirty underbelly" of the hangout, seen as "personal fiefdom of who's who in Kashmir."
The business people said the RSGC secretary Nuzhat Jehangir Rajpori, who was allegedly appointed by Abdullah from "backdoor as Assistant to maintain greens and holes", has been elevated to the top post and that she in league with Secretary Tourism Shalendra Kumar holds monopoly over the RSGC affairs.
"To meet their own vested interests such officials are trying to keep RSGC a forbidden land for genuine stakeholders," they said, adding that the Directorate of Tourism has been denying to entertain any RTI pertaining to the golf club.
The business leaders said a businessman running a restaurant had recently bagged tender to run the restaurant and other related facilities including barbeque at the RSGC.
"But within two days he was asked to pack off only because the Secretary RSGC, Nuzhat Jehangir personally didn't like the restaurant owner and said she was not satisfied with his services," said the spokesman of the forum. "Seven months on when people are still not satisfied with the ruling coalition how come could (the restaurant owner) satisfy them within two days," they asked.
"The business party tried to plead its case but to no avail following which it had to move court to get legal respite. But as the court came to his rescue, the same evening on August 4, a police party from Nishat police station not only ransacked the kitchen and stores of the restaurant but whisked away with most of the costly stuff including crockery. Goods worth lakhs were damaged whereas the kitchen staff was whisked away only to be released at midnight," the traders said.
Following this, they said, the aggrieved businessman finding his assets damaged again moved court, which on August 5 asked the authorities concerned to facilitate his entry into the allotted restaurant, kitchen and other space again so that he could resume the business activities.
"But the concerned categorically refused to entertain the court orders hinting that the aggrieved party should stay silent," the traders said. "As if this was not enough the government has lodged an FIR against the aggrieved businessman, thereby putting his reputation and future at stake."
Meanwhile, a senior official pleading anonymity said they were helpless to execute court orders. "We have asked the aggrieved party to pick up the matter with the government top brass because RSGC issues are decided in highest forums," the official told Early Times.
The business fraternity said they would take to streets if the "RSGC muck was not cleared."
"It is a conspiracy to sabotage healthy business activities by resorting to unfair, unlawful, illegal and strong arm tactics which will have far reaching consequences for peace and development in the state," the traders said.
They said they would soon launch a program to make the RSGC accountable before the people and tourists alike. "Why cannot our tourists enter this premises? What is the fun of this golf course if this is inaccessible to tourists and locals," they said.
Clarifying that the business community has not considered the restaurant issue as an individual case, the traders said it was part of a deep rooted conspiracy.
"If we tolerate this injustice today, tomorrow it's going to be the fate of everyone from Jammu and Kashmir that we'll be thrown out of our assets or deprived of the same," they said.
The community has sought immediate intervention of Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed to personally look into the matter to end the deadlock.
"The arrogant officials who are hell bent to destroy the prestige of this famed hangout need to be made accountable and such elements should be taken to task," they said.
Other business forums who supported the joint resolution include: Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHARA), Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Owners Federation(KHROF), Houseboat Owners Association (HBOA) Pahalgam Hotel and Restaurant Owners Association (PHAROA), Travel Agents Society of Kashmir (TASK), Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK), Travel Agents Association of India(JK Chapter), Jammu Kashmir Tourism Alliance (JKTA), Urban Travel Agents Association (UTAA), Adventure Tour Travel Operators of Kashmir (ATTOK), Domestic Tour Operators Association of India (ADTOAI-JK Chapter) and Adventure Tour Operators of India (ATOI), Joint committee of Private Schools and Jammu and Kashmir Association of Hajj and Umrah Companies(JKAHUC). |
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