Dares Akhtar to substantiate claim or resign
National Conference has accused the government of covering up facts related to the proposal of setting up of Sainik Colony in Kashmir.
“Official documents prove it beyond any reasonable doubt that the official process of identification of land for Sainik Colony in Srinagar, from the initial allocation of 173 kanals to the subsequent 350 kanals, was initiated twice in 2015 and 2016,” said NC spokesperson in a statement issued here Sunday.
On Saturday, Minister for Education and state government spokesman, Naeem Akhtar asserted that no land has been allotted or is being allotted anywhere in Kashmir for any housing project in the name of Sainik Colony.
NC spokesperson accused Akhtar of “deliberately disseminating lies on such a sensitive matter” and asked him to substantiate his claims or resign from the State Cabinet.
“In 2015, Late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed took oath of office on the 1st of March. The very next month, Divisional Commissioner in a letter on the 10th of April agreed in principal to provide 173 kanals of land for the proposed ‘Sainik Colony’ in Srinagar and Budgam Districts. This is not a matter of speculation or hypothesis and is a matter of official record,” he said.
“Then more recently after Mehbooba Mufti took over as the Chief Minister of the State with the charge of the Home Department on the 4th of April, 2016, the Home Secretary in an official letter dated the 11th of April sought the status of the allocation of land for the proposed Sainik Colony from the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir and the concerned District Development Commissioners. This too, is a matter of official record,” the spokesperson added.
He said both these official communications prove that Chief Ministers Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Mehbooba Mufti were actively and directly involved not only as Heads of Government but also as successive Home Ministers of the State in the formal process of land allocation for ‘Sainik Colony’ in Srinagar.
“In spite of these proofs and facts, the State Government Spokesperson and Cabinet Minister Naeem Akhtar has come out to term substantiated media reports as highly motivated and parochial has denied the fact that two successive State Governments headed by PDP have been regularly seeking the status of land allocation for the ‘Sainik Colony.”
“Naeem Akhtar has now formally and officially lied as the spokesperson of the State Government and he should either explain on whose instructions the administration had bypassed the Chief Minister with the concerned officers working on their own accord, failing which he should resign from the State Cabinet without any delay,” the NC spokesperson said. Hsaid the party would wait for the State Government to either debunk the proofs and facts of this case – as have been put out in the public domain – or the resignation of the government spokesperson for “lying in his official capacity”. “These are the only two choices the State Government has and the ball lies in their court. We hope they respond with substance and proof rather than resorting to vague rhetoric and diversions”, the NC spokesperson added.
