Mufti welcomes Accountability Commission's notice to Omar on appointment of advisors

Srinagar, Feb 18 (ANI): People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday welcomed the step of the Jammu and Kashmir Accountability Commission, which issued notice to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over appointment of advisors, and said that the ruling National Conference Government has always misused the support provided from New Delhi.

"We feel the intervention of the Accountability Commission is a very welcome step since National Conference has always treated Jammu and Kashmir as their own personal property. And they have always misused the support they got from New Delhi to empower themselves at the cost of demolishing the institutions," said Mufti.

"Something, which is happening, now is a very welcome step. And you know this government for the last three years it has come to be identified with lawlessness, with corruption, with crime. I mean the people are asking for very basic amenities, but the money is being siphoned for their own benefits by the ministers," she added.

Mufti said the initiative by the Accountability Commission comes as a positive step because this is something new for the people of Kashmir only if it reached its logical conclusion.

"And you have serious charges of crime and allegations against the chief minister in Haji Yousuf's death. So, we feel this current initiative by the Accountability Commission comes as a positive step because this is something new for the people of Kashmir only if it reached its logical conclusion. And Delhi as usual does not come to rescue or manipulate things in their own way, as has been done the other cases," she said.

When asked about the rule with regard to the appointment of the advisors, Mufti said: "Unfortunately, the National Conference has all the time. Right from 1947, it got the unconditional support from New Delhi, except for some years when they were asking for independence and other things. And they have not used that support for the welfare of people, but they have used that support to demolish institutions and unfortunately Delhi stood by them."

"Even this time also, there was the case of Haji Yousuf's death. If in any part of the country such an incident had taken place, I think the chief minister would have been asked within 24 hours to step down. But again here Delhi stood by this government. So, what Accountability Commission has done, may be they were not even appointed six to eight months back, they have taken cognizance of something, which is very important," she added.

Mufti further expressed hope that the Centre would not come to the rescue of the Omar Abdullah Government in this particular case.

"I only keep my fingers crossed because once against New Delhi does not come to the rescue of this government, but allows independent body like Accountability Commission to do their own job," she said.

The State Accountability Commission (SAC) has issued a notice to Omar Abdullah over what it calls is 'unlawful' appointment of his advisors. The Chief Minister has been asked to explain his stand to the commission on March 5.

"The posts of advisor and political advisor to the Chief Minister have not been shown to be the creation of any statute or the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir," said the Accountability Commission.

The Accountability Commission also remarked that the appointment of Mubarak Gul as Omar Abdullah's advisor and Devinder Singh Rana as his political advisor is nothing but a political favor at the cost of public exchequer.

The two-member panel of SAC headed by Justice Y P Nargotra passed the order for registration of the complaint for the inquiry and issued notices to Chief Minister, Advisor Mubarak Gul, Political Advisor Devinder Rana, Vice Chairmen- Mushtaq Shah, Bashir Naz, Rashpal Singh, Kuldeep Verma, Vice Chairperson Swarn Lata and Chairpersons- Shameema Firdous and Khem Lata Wakhloo.

SAC issued notices to them to appear in person or through authorised representatives for filing their replies before it on March 5. It also asked them to show-cause why interim recommendations should not be made against them to the competent authority. (ANI)