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| BJP equates Kashmir golf course with 'British Raaj' Tourism Deptt silent | | Court issues arrest warrant against RSGC Secretary | |
Abdul Majid
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Aug 10: Amid rising public resentment over "shady affairs" of the Royal Springs Golf Course at Cheshma Shahi here, a local court has issued arrest warrants against the RSGC Secretary Nuzhat Jehangir Rajpouri seeking her personal appearance on the next date of hearing scheduled for Aug 18.
Nuzhat is often accused of being an "influential backdoor entry enjoying patronage of who's who of Kashmir who frequent to the club."
A court of competent jurisdiction in Srinagar had issued show cause notice to the Secretary in a contempt proceeding of a case filed by a businessman who accused RSGC of sabotaging his business activities there. She was supposed to be present for the hearing held on Saturday. But her counsel Advocate Altaf Naik had sought exemption of her personal presence, which the court strongly rejected.
"The court took a serious note of the absence of the contemnor (Secretary RSGC) and issued warrant for her personal presence before the court," said Advocate Abid Hussain Banday, pleading case on behalf of the aggrieved party.
Though Nuzhat could not be contacted for comments, an RSGC official downplayed the matter. "It's only a non-bailable warrant and nothing serious," he said adding "why Jammu newspaper wants to make a hue and cry when their counterparts in Srinagar are not interested in carrying the news?"
Meanwhile another businessman on Sunday said he would move court against the RSGC. "I had bagged tenders for execution of projects, but the lobby at the helm threw me out and threatened me of dire consequences if I uttered a word of annoyance... But now as someone has mustered courage, I will also act bravely and fight for my rights," the businessman told Early Times on phone from a metropolitan City.
Seen as one of the biggest misadventures of former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, the RSGC has been a story of many "shady affairs" including recruitment and promotions of officials including Nuzhat. Issuance of tenders worth millions is allegedly another big fraud, which over the years went unreported.
"There's a fraud on every step. We couldn't raise voice against the misgivings as the lobby enjoys support of the powerful people in Kashmir including some media houses," said a veteran golfer.
Just yesterday the Bharatiya Janata Party took a serious note of the RSGC misgivings and equated it with "British Raaj". In a party handout BJP demanded that government should waive off the entry fee at RSGC and allow common people to visit the place.
"It's unfortunate that only top bureaucrats and politicians visit the RSGC while the commoners have no access to the place. Only privileged class visiting the RSGC is not acceptable," the BJP spokesman Khalid Jehangir said.
He said a few people in Kashmir are still behaving like Britishers and have identified a few places where commoners are not allowed.
Last week the powerful voices of corporate Kashmir including the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries, the Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir and the Kashmir Economic Alliance gave a joint press conference asking Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed to make RSGC accountable and "utilize it for promotion of tourism than personal amusement of bureaucrats." The Kashmir Inc said the RSGC has become "personal fiefdom of some officials and their nears and dears."
Interestingly despite this mudslinging, the Directorate of Tourism Kashmir, which looks after the RSGC, has been silent and didn't even refute the allegations.
"We are sitting over pandoras box," said a Tourism official asking not to be named. |
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