Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, Oct 3: In yet another indication of growing rift between the coalition partners, Congress has stalled efforts of its National Conference to revert assets and management of the prestigious Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar to the Sher-i-Kashmir National Medical Institute Trust, which was taken over by the previous Coalition Government headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
The decision of the Congress party had been conveyed to the National Conference Ministers, who were members of a Sub-Committee that had been constituted on September 20 this year for looking into various facets of the proposal for restoration of possession of the land, buildings, management and affairs of the Institute of Medical Science Soura, Srinagar along with other institutions and property affiliated in favour of Sher-e-Kashmir National Medical Institute Trust, Srinagar.
The Cabinet Sub-Committee (CSC) comprised four Ministers — Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs, Abdul Rahim Rather; Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Mir Saifullah (both from NC), Minister for Medical Education, Youth Services and Sports Taj Mohi-ud-Din and Minister for Urban Development and Urban Local Bodies, Rigzin Jora (both from Congress).
“The Cabinet Sub-Committee had only one meeting, which ended shortly after its resumption as the Ministers affiliated with respective parties failed to find any meeting ground”, sources said, adding, “the Congress Ministers refused to budge from their stand that they wouldn’t revert the decision taken by the Coalition Government in 2003, to which they were equal partners”, sources stated.
Political pundits opined that the move assumed great significance in view of the fact that several senior Congress leaders have not closed the option of having alliance with People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in case polls deliver a fractured verdict in the forthcoming Assembly elections in the State next year.
A senior Congress Minister said on the condition of anonymity, “the decisions taken by the erstwhile Congress -PDP Coalition Government were collective responsibility and therefore there is no question of going back on the decisions for whom, we are equally responsible”.
“The message had also been categorically conveyed to the NC Ministers, who attended the meeting of CSC last week”, said the Minister adding, “now the Sub-Committee would send report to the Cabinet dwelling upon the differences among the coalition partners”.
Elaborating further, the Minister said, “it was actually established that National Conference had violated several clauses about the functioning of Trust and even diverted crores for their personal use. The Trust had assets worth nearly Rs 3000 crores and the decision to take over the Trust in 2003 was aimed to avoid misuse of these funds”, asserted the Minister.
He added, “however the case is also pending in the Apex Court and we would abide by the final verdict as and when it comes”.
It is pertinent to mention here that the matter had also been listed before the Supreme Court in April this year and the State Government through its counsel had submitted a Special Leave Petition (Civil) bearing No. 7804/2006 before the Division Bench stating that Cabinet had formed a Sub-Committee to look into the issue.
“The State Government through its counsel had submitted before the Apex Court bench that the case may also be deferred till the month of August. Some people in the Government had expected that NC would be able to prevail upon its coalition partner to revert the 2003 decision, but that didn’t happen”, sources asserted.
Earlier, in February this year the State Cabinet had also discussed the proposal to cancel the decision taken in 2003 by the then Government headed by Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed whereby the management of SKIMS was taken over by the Government. However, some Congress Ministers had opposed the decision tooth and nail, with the result the agenda pertaining to this subject had to be deferred.
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