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| Saroori sacked from council of ministers for bringing "disgrace" to coalition | | On CM's recommendation, Vohra accepts his dismissal | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Aug 26: Following a nod from the Congress high command, works minister Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, who was alleged to have facilitated impersonation for his daughter in MBBS/BDS entrance test, was today sacked by chief minister Omar Abdullah.
He was dismissed after he refused to resign on his own despite the mounting pressure on him from within the party and the coalition, official sources said.
After sacking him, the chief minister recommended to governor N N Vohra his dismissal from the council of ministers, the sources added.
As Vohra was in Leh, the communication was sent to him there. Sources said the governor had accepted his dismissal.The charge of the works minister would remain with Omar. Saroori was caught in a controversy over the use of an impersonator for his daughter Huma Tabassum during MBBS/BDS entrance test conducted by Acharaya Shri Chander College of Medical Sciences (ASCOMS), Batra, at Jammu University on August 21.
Saroori, a minister belonging to Congress, was asked to put in his papers after the controversy erupted but he chose to ignore the directive and left for Jeddah to perform 'umrah' without any clearance from the external affairs ministry (MEA). The decision to sack Saroori was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah here.
The minister, who has been maintaining that he was a victim of politics in the state, did not submit his resignation before leaving for umrah.
He flew out yesterday morning and his office in Jammu circulated a statement that he had not been asked by the party high command to resign on the issue of impersonation involving his daughter.
Saroori had not taken the mandatory "political clearance" from the MEA as was necessary for any minister to travel abroad, official sources said.
Saroori, alleged to have facilitated the impersonation for his daughter, went to Delhi yesterday from Srinagar. In Delhi, he was called up by union minister Prithviraj Chavan on three occasions, with the last call informing him that he should submit his resignation before leaving for umrah.
"The party minister has been asked to resign," Chavan, who is also the AICC general secretary in charge of Jammu and Kashmir, had said yesterday.
A girl and a youth were caught impersonating Saroori's daughter Huma and NC leader Rampal's son Lovesh Bharat. Apart from them, five more fake examinees were held while taking test for other candidates.The state government has already announced to hand over the probe in the case to the CBI.
Vehemently denying any wrongdoing by his daughter, Saroori had yesterday dubbed it as a "misinformation campaign" by vested interests to tarnish his image.He claimed his daughter Huma was pursuing her bachelor's degree in Government Women College here. |
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