Srinagar, May 9:People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday levelled explosive allegations of corruption against the Omar Abdullah-led government, claiming that a senior minister allegedly demanded Rs 30 lakh from an officer in exchange for a transfer.
Addressing a party convention in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, Mehbooba alleged that corruption had reached its peak under the National Conference (NC) government and claimed that even transfers and postings were allegedly being handled through money and political influence.
“Corruption is at its peak during the NC government. As rightly said by DrMehboob Beg, the infighting among NC MLAs is for getting officers transferred,” she said addressing party workers and supporters.
The former chief minister alleged that an officer, who was also associated with the National Conference, approached a minister seeking a transfer but was allegedly asked to pay Rs 30 lakh in return.
“The situation is such that an NC worker, who is also an officer, met a minister with a plea for transfer and he was asked to pay Rs 30 lakh. The officer then went to Dr Farooq Sahib and narrated how the minister had demanded money from him, but he was told to speak to the minister as he was their treasurer,” she alleged.
Without naming the minister, Mehbooba said the alleged incident exposed the level of corruption prevailing within the present government and accused the ruling dispensation of betraying public expectations.
She said people had voted for the Omar Abdullah-led government hoping that corruption and illegal mining would end.
“People had high expectations from the Omar Abdullah government. They thought illegal mining, which is damaging our water bodies, would stop. But what Omar Sahib did was hand over that ministry to a person who is not honest,” she alleged.
The PDP chief claimed that corruption and favouritism had created frustration among unemployed youth in Jammu and Kashmir.
“There is frustration among youth due to the peak of corruption,” she said, alleging that deserving candidates were being ignored while influence and political connections dominated the system.
Mehbooba also criticised the ongoing demolition of houses belonging to alleged drug peddlers, saying strict punishment should be limited to those involved in narcotics trade and not extended to innocent family members.
“If anyone is involved in drug trafficking, they should be jailed, but you should also ask those police personnel who release them after taking money from them. Why are their houses being bulldozed? What is the fault of the family members? Why are you demolishing their houses? There is no justice,” she said.
Taking a swipe at the chief minister over the anti-drug crackdown, Mehbooba said, “Omar, if the people had liked bulldozer baba, why would they have voted for you? People voted for you and gave you 50 MLAs thinking you will safeguard them.”
Referring to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s ‘NashaMukt J&K Abhiyaan’ programme in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district earlier in the day, Mehbooba alleged that government employees, teachers and school students, including women and girls, were directed to report for the event at 6:30 am.
“I will not name the person who messaged me at midnight last night. That person said the LG is organising a NashaMuktAbhiyaan event in Anantnag, but all employees and schools, including women and girls, have been directed to arrive at 6:30 am,” she said.
While describing the anti-drug campaign as a good initiative, Mehbooba said forcing people to wait for long hours was unnecessary.
“I want to tell the LG that the campaign is a good initiative, but making them wait like this, I think, is an excess,” she said.
