Panel probing graft charge against J&K minister scrapped

Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council Chairman Amrit Malhotra has dissolved the House Committee which was formed to probe allegations of land grab against senior cabinet minister Taj Mohiuddin.

"Since the members belonging to the National Conference have withdrawn from the House Committee that I had constituted to investigate the allegations levelled against Taj Mohi-ud-Din, by MLC Syed Muhammad Rafiq Shah... in the case of illegal possession of forest land in Sedow, Shopian, the said Committee has become practically infructuous," Malhotra said in an order.

"The Committee does not seem to be in a position to serve any purpose without the participation of the largest political party in the House i.e. National Conference. Against this background, I am convinced that the continuance of the Committee would not serve any purpose. I, therefore, dissolve the committee with immediate effect," the chairman of the council said.

Reacting sharply to the development, National Panthers Party (NPP) MLC Syed Muhammad Rafiq Shah today claimed that the Chairman was under intense pressure to dissolve the House Committee.

"Dissolution of the house committee is a murder of the Constitution. The chairman (of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council) was under intense pressure and received threats," Panthers Party MLC Syed Rafiq Shah told reporters here.

The House Committee was formed during the recent autumn session of the Council after Shah produced some documents claiming that Mohiuddin had grabbed forest land in Sedow area of Shopian district in connivance with some officials of the revenue department.

The House Committee included Shah, two members from National Conference, one from Congress -- MLC Bashir Ahmad Magray-- and one from opposition PDP.

National Conference, surprisingly, last week pulled out its members – Khalid Najib Suharwardy and Bashir Ahmed Veeri - from the five-member Committee.

Several MLCs including the leader of the upper house R S Chib had written to the chairman to dissolve the committee as they claimed it could lead to constitutional crisis in the state.

However, the chairman stood his ground saying the committee was legally valid and he had the powers to constitute the committee for probing charges against a sitting minister.

National Conference leader and MLC Ajay Sadhorta yesterday said the onus of this decision -- either to constitute or dissolve the committee -- lies with none other than the chairman of the Legislative Council as he had taken both decisions without consulting the largest party in the state.

"The essence of the Parliamentary democracy is in consultation, confabulation and decision after deliberation and consensus. Arbitrary, unilateral decisions lead to confrontations, misunderstanding and chaos and as such have no place in Parliamentary democracy," Sadhotra said.

The NC leader, however, admitted that the two MLCs from the party had resigned from the committee.

"It is true that two members of National Conference resigned from the committee because they had certain issues with the form, content and method of the constitution of the committee, but they never suggested dissolution of the committee," he said. Sadhotra said in spite of the resignation of the two National Conference members, the quorum of the committee was complete and the committee could have gone ahead with the probe with three members.

Shah said while he had not personal enmity against the Minister, the NPP will pursue the case and even take it to the Supreme Court.

"I have no personal animosity with Taj Mohiuddin. But I have made commitment to the people. Our evidence is factual and strong and we will pursue the case further," he said.

The MLC said if the minister was clean, he should not shy away from any inquiry.