After late Chief Minister Mufti Mohd Sayed admission in Legislative Assembly that fighting corruption was a challenge, present incumbent CM, his daughter, exhorting Deputy Commissioners to play their critical role in governance as she alone cannot do anything is worrisome. But the incumbent CM would do well to note that her own role preferentially is critical in providing honest and responsive administration to people.
S.S. Bijral BJP State Spokesperson lauding Chief Minister showing her concern for honest and responsive government when the state of J&K is far from being free from scourge of corruption. There were 1218 corruption complaints in last six months of 2015 and this figure rose to 1419 complaints in first six months of 2016. 1419 complaints were against 500 govt servants which included 283 gazetted officers. He said present coalition regime inherited state governance termed by Transparency International survey as the most corrupt from NC/Congress in 2014. The corruption besides affecting state economy, forced youth to take to guns with our neighbour helping to turn it into a proxy war.
Bijral, however, felt constrained to accept ‘CM alone cannot do anything’. It’s the leader alone that determines win or defeat for code of conduct , operational strategy and other essential bench marks are set by the determined leader only. He said if in blatant violation of Supreme Court direction GAD sits over 34 cases forwarded by SVO, Crime Branch and CBI during last two years seeking sanction to prosecute 93 government servants including two senior IAS officers under Prevention of Corruption Act, how can the scourge of corruption be routed from the state.
Bijral referring to Subramanian Swamy v/s Dr Manmohan Singh case of 2012 said the Apex Court explicitly stated that competent authority mandatorily decide within three months whether or not to grant sanction for prosecution under PCA. He wondered about message to the people when govt ignores specific mandatory Supreme Court direction. He lamented present situation in state is because carrot was served unchecked even undeservingly with stick ignored intentionally by the leader with clear anti-people message to the corrupt.
Former bureaucrat Bijral making out a strong case for fight against corruption said that well meaning CM, daughter of late Mufti Mohd Syed known for his good governance would while on priority grant prosecution sanction in cases pending in GAD, ensure same is issued in future respecting SC direction. This done, Bijral said, critical honest and responsive government shall find way into lives of her subjects who trusted and voted Mehbooba Mufti lead PDP/BJP govt. Then she will not have to specially address the administrators ever assuredly
