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| CM, Dy CM on same page over Sainik Colonies | | 'No Sainik colony coming up in Kashmir' | | Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, June 6: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and her Deputy Dr. Nirmal Singh were once again today on same page over the issue of establishment of Sainik Colonies in state of Jammu and Kashmir and both denied that any Sainik Colonies are being under consideration.
Reiterating once again after his reply on Governor's address, Mehbooba Mufti said that no Sainik Colony is coming up in any part of Kashmir. She said recurrent reports on already finished issue in this regard seem to be the part of a desperate and sustained campaign by certain quarters to destabilize the situation and put Kashmir on fire again.
She said that it is highly unfortunate that at a time when the tourism activity has started picking up in Kashmir and the slumped economy is slowly rejuvenating, a sustained campaign has been launched by certain quarters to dish out concocted and inflammatory reports to provoke the situation.
While responding to the issue of "Sainik Colony" raised by an Independent legislator in the Legislative Assembly this morning, joined by National Conference and Congress legislators, the opposition legislators created ruckus in the Assembly "over media reports about setting up" of a "Sainik colony" in Srinagar. Independent MLA even stormed into the well of the Assembly to seek the clarification from the government about Sainik colonies being constructed by the Army at Old Airport area of the Srinagar.
"I want to make it clear that the Army is not constructing any Sainik Colony in Kashmir. They have and may be constructing accommodation at the land already under their use," Mehbooba Mufti said, added that these constructions are "in no way" linked to the "Sainik Colony" as is being projected by certain quarters.
She said that constructions have been going on in Kashmir for decades in the areas which have been allotted to the Army including at Badami Bagh cantonment and other security forces for their staff and the families and by playing up the pictures of some residential accommodation in the newspapers, which already exist in most parts of Jammu and Kashmir, an attempt is being made to provoke the situation and create trouble, which won't be allowed," she said.
Pointing out that the former Chief Minister had led this "misinformation campaign by spreading canards on Twitter about purported settling of non-state subjects in the Sainik Colonies", Ms Mufti said as the former CM and head of the opposition (Omar Abdullah), he knows that there is "no truth" in the establishment of "Sainik Colonies" as is being projected.
"He (Omar) had himself attended four meetings of the Rajya Sainik Board in which the decisions to locate land for Sainik Colonies for state subject retired soldiers were reiterated added that when the matter came up during our Government, it was communicated to the concerned quarters that there is no land available for the purpose.
Mehbooba Mufti said the first "Sainik Colonies" were established in the State by the then Chief Minister, Late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in Jammu and the Army had no role in their construction.
She urged the opposition to play a constructive role which will be in the interest of peace and stability instead of trying to trigger a fresh trouble in the State by politicizing non-existent issues.
The Chief Minister also urged the media to play a responsible and responsive role by verifying the veracity of the reports before publishing the same.
While invoking religious, Ms Mufti said that even our religion Islam talk about verification and investigation before reaching to any conclusion.
"Please investigate whatever comes to you especially on such sensitive issues before putting the same in the public domain," she urged the media and said, "if there is even an iota of truth in any such move, go ahead and publish it, but for God sake, please don't give credence to hearsay."
She also warn the media persons and advise them to reframe from wrong reporting added that she will not hesitate to take action against such media houses.
The Chief Minister said the Government will not allow anybody to put Kashmir on fire and bring miseries to the people.
"I am not here for luxuries, I am here to work and bring relief to the people, who have suffered immensely because of turmoil, mis-governance, corruption and nepotism," she said added that she will not permit anybody to play with the lives of the people and disrupt peace and would continue to work for the welfare of the people for as long as she will remain on chair.
The issue comes during the part of the question hour that witness verbal squabbling between the treasury and opposition benches with Chief Minister Ms Mehbooba Mufti exchanging arguments with her predecessor. Ms Mufti said some elements in Kashmir are trying to "set Kashmir afire" and "sections of media are part of it".
Though the question hour was already disrupted by opposition lawmakers on various issues including arrest of Yasin Malik and the non-availability of food grains with the CAPD, the tensions increased after Engineer Rasheed came into the Well with a newspaper seeking explanation for a news item that suggested that Sainik Colony was being set up in the airport belt.
Chief Minister attacked the newspaper that had carried the news item and said that there is a "race between 2-3 newspapers to get into the assembly proceedings.
"For your newspapers, you cannot hand people and set Kashmir a fire--- My government is fully supportive of the media but we will act if unsubstantiated things are printed to disrupt peace." She said that her government has already created a special fund for the welfare of the journalists.
Reacting to CM outbursts, Omar Abdullah clarified that he had Tweeted the government order in which government had initiated the process of identifying land in the Old airport area.
"I had asked if the land can be utilized for non-state subjects and once you clarified we left the issue," Omar said.
Insisting that Kashmir will really be afire if they behave the way you (PDP) behaved when I (Omar) was CM of the state . He said PDP's role in last years explains how they worked against the government within and outside the house added that unlike PDP, we are not making our speeches and leaving the house.
Omar taunted his successor saying that his small tweets are disturbing her mood.
"I am using Twitter for the welfare of the people and will continue to do so. You want that I should close my account and that would give you peace but I am not doing it," Omar said added that he is not even going to apologize for his Tweets because his Tweets are in the public interest.
He said that CM is dragging him into the controversy simply because some lawmaker in the assembly has raised it.
Meanwhile Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh also told the Legislative Council that there was nothing happening on the Sainik Colony front. He said some people are trying to disturb peace in Kashmir which will not be permitted.
Dr Singh was reacting to NC Legislators who raised the issue and speak in similar tune to that of CM Mehbooba Mufti.
Dr Singh said that Sainik colony is a state government exercise and has nothing to do with army. The colony in Jammu was constructed by the state government, he said.
Army while reacting to the Sainik colonies controversy in a statement said that the news article published in few dailies on 05th June 2016 in which it was claimed by Jammu Kashmir Coalition for Civil Society (JKCCS) that the land sought by Army for the construction of Sainik Colony at Old Air Field was already witnessing huge construction work from last two years and so far at least 47 buildings have almost been constructed, is factually incorrect.
Army stated that the land on which construction activity is in progress, is Defence Land which is inside the existing Old Air Field Military Station added that preresently construction of Married Accommodation Project is under progress inside the Old Air Field Military Station.
"The new construction is purely meant for the serving Army personnel and being constructed under supervision of Station Headquarters to meet the accommodation requirements of the Army units located in this area. This construction activity has absolutely nothing to do with the "Sainik Colonies" which is a State subject and Army has no role in it" read army statement. |
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