HOME Kashmir Srinagar City Jammu Business Sports PaK Briefs Editorial Opinion GK Magazine Letters Name : Email : Comments : Code: Security Code : Payoff Row: Cong working at ‘safe exit’ for Gen V K Singh He should be heard first: Monga; Dignity of legislature can’t be compromised: NC MUDDASIR ALI Srinagar, Jan 28: Differences between National Conference and Congress over privilege motion against former Army Chief VK Singh could deepen further as the Congress has been lobbying for “safe exit” of Singh from the controversy. Sources said Congress members in the Privilege Committee (PC) of the Legislative Council which had summoned Singh were against personal appearance of the former Army chief before the committee, on directions from the party. “Instead the party favors Singh should be given a chance to clear his position without summoning him in person,” sources said. Singh sparked a political controversy last year when he alleged that ministers in JK were on the pay-rolls of the army since 1947. Taking exception to his remarks National Conference MLCs Ajay Sadhotra, Devender Singh Rana and Khalid Najeeb Suharwardy moved a privilege motion against him in the Upper House. The Committee later asked Singh to appear before it on January 9 to reply to the queries on his allegations. When Singh did not appear on the day, a fresh summon was issued to him for appearance on January 22. But his representative delivered a letter to the Council Chairman Amrit Singh Malhotra last week and Singh got a reprieve when Head of the panel and senior Congress legislator Jugal Kishore Sharma referred the entire matter to the LC Chairman over some legal issues. Sharma told Greater Kashmir that under Rule 257 of the Rules of Procedure of the House, the Committee can have a maximum of five members but it has six, and hence was “constitutionally illegal”. Besides he said the questions also arise how the complainant, Rana, would participate in the proceedings against Singh. “Unless the matters get resolved there can be no further proceedings in the case. I can’t say anything more,” Sharma said. “He (Singh) headed a respectable institution. We can’t brush it away and take a call in isolation,” a senior Congress legislator said, indicating the change in the Congress’ stand. The hints about the changing stance of Congress came much earlier when party’s state chief Saifuddin Soz while disapproving of the move to summon Singh had termed it “undemocratic” saying it would not serve any purpose and the General should be given “some respect” for the position he held. “It is my personal opinion that the (former) General should not have been called as it would not serve anything. We should give some respect to someone who has been the chief of armed forces. Whatever he said, he denied that and what use it is now to summon him,” Soz told reporters here on January 12. Another Congress MLC and the committee member Ghulam Nabi Monga said they didn’t want to politicize the matter. “Our stand is that he should be heard first whether through his representative or through some other means and if it is felt that his personal appearance is must he can be summoned,” said Monga. “But they (NC) are making an issue out of nothing and are adamant on summoning him without giving him a chance and following principal of natural justice.” However, Monga hurried to add that once heard if it was felt that Singh has done something wrong the law should be allowed to take its own course. NC however has been firm on the privilege motion. The party’s MLC and member of PC Devender Rana said: “The institution (State Legislature) was supreme and its dignity and honor can’t be compromised. Anybody, howsoever, big or small can’t challenge the honor of the institution.”
Posted on: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 04:09:46 +0000
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