Neeraj Rohmetra
Jammu, June 17: Wrangling among two Ministers of National Conference (NC) – Congress Coalition entered the next round today with Cabinet Minister for Roads and Building and Mechanical Engineering, Abdul Majid Wani stoutly refuting all allegations and launching counter-attack on his junior colleague, Sajjad Kitchloo, who is Minister of State (MoS) in the same department.
The level of acrimony between the two Ministers representing Congress (Abdul Majid Wani) and National Conference (Sajjad Kitchloo) intensified further today with former demanding that the latter be sacked immediately from the Council of Ministry for the betterment of the Coalition Government.
Charging Mr Kitchloo of being ‘hell-bent’ to tarnish the image of the present Coalition Government, Mr Wani said in a communiqué, “the remarks made by my junior colleague are against the canons of the Coalition Government and it is being understood that the same are being made to create rift amongst the coalition partners”.
Refuting allegations of having bypassed his junior colleague, Mr Wani said, “the powers have been delegated to the Ministers of State of J&K by none other than Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah. Rules laid down in the Constitution categorically stated that all the files related to the cadres management of non-gazetted staff (except transfers and postings) are to be routed by the concerned Administrative Secretary through the Minister of State (MoS) concerned and the same is being followed by the R&B in letter and spirit”.
“It is only the arrogance and vested interests of the MoS concerned, which had forced him to take such an abrasive path and make such adverse comments in public”, says the statement adding, “the Government has to work as per the procedure in vogue and every action taken by the R&B Department, whether it is with respect to cadre management or developmental activities, is as per the principles adopted by the Government”.
While taking the battle to corridors of the Chief Minister, the Cabinet Minister has sought his personal intervention in the matter. “Chief Minister is appealed to take the matter seriously and take immediate action against the erring MoS, who is hell bent to tarnish the image of the present coalition Government”, says the statement.
Elaborating further, Mr Wani said, “it is to inform that the concerned MoS (Kitchloo) was deeply hurt when recently his close relative was not given choice posting in Estate Department, Jammu which is under the control of Chief Minister and the orders of posting has been approved by none other than the Chief Minister himself”.
Regarding the recent posting made by the Department, the communiqué says, “it is to inform that 106 promotee Incharge Assistant Executive Engineers (AEEs) were to be adjusted against the vacancies existing in and outside the department, which necessitated transfer and postings also and same was done by the R&B Department in the interest of administration after holding detailed discussions with the concerned Chief Engineers”.
Further, urging Omar Abdullah to take notice of utterances of his junior Minister, Mr Wani said, “Chief Minister should take the matter seriously and check the credentials of such an arrogant MoS, who recently was involved in thrashing of a senior KAS officer, which is unacceptable to every civilized society and who doesn’t believe in hierarchy of power”.
“The MoS has been trying to create ripples amongst the coalition partners on frivolous, false and non-issues. The concerned Minister has time and again been informed about his power but present act on his part is unbecoming of a public man. Such elements existing in the coalition should invariably be shown door as they are rot for smooth functioning of the system”.
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