Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 15: Differences between the two coalition partners-National Conference and Congress-today widened further over the summoning of former Army chief Gen VK Singh on January 22 as Privilege Committee chairman Jugal Kishore Sharma, former Minister and senior Congress leader today called a meeting of the Panel on January 20 to discuss the issue afresh in the light of a letter submitted by Gen Singh to Legislative Council chairman Amrit Malhotra.
Mr Sharma called the meeting two days ahead of the date for Gen Singh’s appearance before the Privilege Committee soon after the Legislative Council Chairman handed over the letter given to him by a representative of former Army chief to the Privilege Committee chairman for taking further action in the matter.
Official sources told the Excelsior that soon after receiving the Army chief’s letter from Mr Malhotra, Privilege Committee chairman Jugal Kishore Sharma called an emergency meeting of the Committee on January 20 to discuss the matter in the context of the letter.
Mr Sharma declined to comment on the subject but sources said the Congress would make a strong pitch for revoking the summons issued to the former Army chief for personal appearance on January 22 in connection with alleged pay-offs allegations against Jammu and Kashmir Ministers in the emergency meeting called ahead of Gen Singh’s appearance.
However, the National Conference, according to sources, would stick to the stand taken by the Privilege Committee in its meeting on January 9 to summon Gen Singh on January 22 through Home Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) Haryana.
“We stand by the Privilege Committee decision to summon Gen Singh on January 22. The Congress can change its stand but we can’t. It was a unanimous decision. The Congress members are party to it. How can they change their stand now”? a senior NC leader and asked.
The Congress sources, however, said the things have changed after the Privilege Committee had issued summons on January 9 as then the Committee had no version from the former Army chief.
“Now, we are in possession of a letter written by Gen Singh through his counsel and addressed to the Legislative Council Secretary for the Privilege Committee. The letter has clarified many things, which didn’t warrant his (the former Army chief’s personal appearance). We should treat the matter as closed,” the Congress sources said.
They added that if the Congress didn’t manage to have its say in the Privilege Committee, its chairman Jugal Kishore Sharma could go to the extent of resigning as head of the Panel, which would lead to re-constitution of the Committee.
Sources pointed out that in the event of Congress insisting on revoking of summons and NC on calling Gen Singh, the January 20 meeting could see a voting on the decision. The NC and Congress have three members each in the Privilege Committee including Jugal Kishore Sharma (chairman), Ravinder Sharma and Ghulam Nabi Monga, all Congress, Devender Singh Rana, Ali Mohammad Dar and Showkat Hussain Ganaie, all National Conference.
“In case of a conflict, there is a provision of voting in the Privilege Committee to take a decision,” sources said.
The NC has already made it clear that the case of Gen Singh was that of an individual and former Army chief and has nothing to do with the Indian Army. The Congress, however, didn’t want to insist on personal appearance of Gen Singh on the ground that it would send out a wrong signal to the armed forces. PCC (I) chief Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz has also stated that he was against the personal summoning of Gen Singh.
The Congress was of the view that the issue would have been settled on January 9 itself had one of the Council officials not refused to receive the letter written by Gen Singh to the Privilege Committee. However, the official didn’t receive the letter from a representative of the former Army chief after reportedly speaking to someone on telephone, which led to the Privilege Committee issuing fresh summons for Gen Singh for appearance on January 22.
Council Chairman Amrit Malhotra has already ordered an inquiry into refusal of one of the Council officials to receive the letter written by Gen Singh and sent through his representative-Yashpal. However, the official hasn’t been identified so far. Gen Singh’s representative had next day personally handed over the same letter to Mr Malhotra, which he today forwarded to the Privilege Committee chairman. The former Army chief’s Advocate had also ring up Mr Malhotra and informed him that Gen Singh was away in Tamil Nadu and would appear before the Committee on next date of hearing if asked for.
Worthwhile to mention here that the Legislative Council Privilege Committee had on December 8 summoned Gen Singh on the basis of privilege motion moved against him in the autumn session of the Council in October last year by three NC MLCs including Planning and Development Minister Ajay Sadhotra, Devender Singh Rana, provincial president of the party and former Political Advisor to Chief Minister and Khalid Najib Suhrawardhy, former Minister of State for Home.
As Gen Singh didn’t appear before the Committee on January 9, the Panel had decided to summon him on January 22 through Home Secretary and DGP of Haryana as the former Army chief resides in Gurgaon.
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