‘Businessman spent Rs 700 cr on marriage, offers no charity’
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 19: Governor Satya Pal Malik today targeted billionaire Mukesh Ambani, albeit without naming him, saying a businessman has spent Rs 700 crore on marriage of his daughter but he doesn’t pay any amount for charity while Microsoft company of the foreign has been spending 99 percent of its earnings on charity.
He made these remarks while speaking at a function organized by the Rajya Sainik Board in connection with the Armed Forces Flag Day celebrations during which he said the country should remember sacrifices and valour of the Army personnel, who were performing duties in knee-deep snow at Siachen Glacier.
“When a journalist posed a question to the country’s wealthiest man, who spent Rs 700 crore on the marriage of his daughter, whether he undertakes any charity, he said he does not do charity but adds to the wealth of the country,” Malik said without naming Mukesh Ambani, the wealthiest Indian, who is among top ranking businessmen in the world with maximum wealth.
Asserting that in Europe and other countries, the businessmen spend lot on charity, Malik cited the Microsoft owner, who spends 99 percent of his wealth on charity.
“Does he increase the wealth of the country by spending Rs 700 crore on the marriage of his daughter?”, the Governor asked.
With Rs 700 crore, Malik elaborated, 700 big schools could have been built in Jammu and Kashmir and 7,000 widows of slain soldiers could have brought up their children.
“But they will not (do charity). The sensitivity that should be in this (upper class) section of the society is not there,” he rued.
Malik, who has often spoken out against wealthy politicians and bureaucrats in Kashmir, went on to liken a section of the country’s wealthy to “rotten potatoes”, saying they don’t have any sensitivity towards society and do no charity.
“The big segment of society in this country, those who are wealthy — in Kashmir, politicians and bureaucrats are all wealthy — do not have any sensitivity towards society. They do not do charity of even a single rupee,” Malik regretted
“But there are a few like this in the upper classes. Please do not take it badly, I consider them ‘rotten potatoes’, not human beings,” Malik said.
He made his remarks in Hindi, using the term “sade se aalu” to describe the rich who don’t do charitable works.
“Society is not formed due to the upper classes, but from farmers, employees, people working in industries and men in the armed forces”, Malik said.
“Let us boost the morale of our armed forces and help them and remember them,” he added.
Lauding courage and sacrifices of Army jawans, the Governor said more soldiers are killed in Siachen Glacier, the highest snow-bound battlefield in the world, than war.
“The jawans (in Siachen Glacier) protect the country in knee-deep snow when we sleep in cozy rooms of our houses,” he said, adding that such jawans deserve many salutes.
He said there will be no village in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, where there is no statue of martyrs or a war widow feeding her children or a mother remembering her martyr son.
“The good thing in these villages, however, is that before a martyr is cremated, his father announced that he is ready to send his younger son to the Army,” he said, adding that there would be no better religious place in the country than to meet the kin of martyrs and spend some time with them.
Malik recalled that Indian Army soldiers have been giving sacrifices in Army right from the Independence of the country or even before that.
“There can be no comparison of sacrifices by the Indian Army soldiers. In World War-II, two youth of same house had got Victoria Cross,” he recalled and said there were very few things country can be proud of and Indian Army in at number one.
“We must be proud of our Army. It will be holiest work to remember their martyrdom and help their families,” he said.
The Governor also recalled the martyrdom of Major Som Nath in Kashmir, who saved Srinagar Airport from Pakistani raiders.
On the directions of Governor who is Chairman of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, the Shrine Board gave cheques amounting to Rs 10,000 each as a financial support to 20 Non Pensioner Widows.
The Governor presented prizes to winners of painting, Quiz, Essay and patriotic song competitions among school children.
Brig (Retd) Harcharan Singh, Director Rajya Sainik Board spoke about the ongoing activities of the Rajya Sainik Board and funds raised.
Certificates of Appreciation to Jammu citizens who are working for the welfare of ex-Servicemen and their families were given on the occasion.
Maj Gen D S Gill, COS, 16 Corps; R K Goyal, Principal Secretary Home; Sanjeev Verma, Divisional Commissioner Jammu; Simrandeep Singh, CEO Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board; Dr. Aziz Hajini, Secretary JKAACL; Honorary Capt Sardar Bana Singh, PVC, and I D Soni, president Old Age Home were among the distinguished guests present on the occasion.
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