Govt owes 742 cr security bill: Dr Jitendra
Accusing the National Conference (NC) led government of following double standards, BJP National Executive Member and J&K Chief Spokesperson Dr Jitendra Singh disclosed here today that despite repeated reminders from the union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the State is yet to pay to the Center an amount of Rs 742 crore which it owes on account of deployment of paramilitary forces in Jammu and Kashmir. On the one hand, the ruling party leadership publicly demands withdrawal of Indian security forces from Jammu and Kashmir, on the other hand, it conveniently continues to use the services of these forces at the expense of Govt of India’s exchequer, he alleged.
Quoting official sources, Dr Jitendra Singh explained, the amount of Rs 742 crore has been worked out on the basis of accepted formula of 90:10, with the former share borne by the Center and the latter to be borne by the State government. But, instead of paying these dues in a dignified manner, the State government is said to have taken up with Govt of India the issue of exemption of this amount, he added.
Just as the coalition leadership is never shy of finding fault with the conduct of security forces deployed in the State, the latest instance being that of its denouncement of the Pathribal case closure, in the same vein the coalition government is never shy of refusing to pay to the Center its share of bill on account of security expenses, said Dr Jitendra Singh and quipped, this is a classical case of having the cake and eating it too.
Dr Jitendra Singh further revealed that notwithstanding huge budget liability accruing from security related expenses over the last two decades of militancy, the State government is being charged only 10 percent of the salaries and other expenses of the paramilitary forces deployed on its requisition.
Coming close on the heels of reports about senior J&K bureaucrats camping in New Delhi to seek enhancement of Plan funds and other Central grants, Dr Jitendra Singh said, this only confirms the present State government’s inability to sustain itself without the Center paying for its security or for the salary of its employees. If such a government still manages to browbeat the Govt of India by raking up non-viable demands like “Autonomy”, it only vindicates the widely held perception that Congress led UPA is under instructions from 10 Janpath to keep the present J&K chief minister in good humour, he added.
Posing a question mark on the stand of the State unit of Congress party which is a part of the government, Dr Jitendra Singh said, none of its ministers has ever taken a position even as the National Conference ministers, who enjoy security cover at Center’s expense, freely indulge in Army bashing to appease the separatist constituency. With the elections round the corner, the Congress will have to pay dearly for this silence of convenience, he warned.