‘If you have any proof, go to complaint to ECI’
Srinagar, June 16: The Opposition Thursday created ruckus in the Lower House and staged Walk out over the alleged distribution of money among voters in the poll-bound Anantnag Assembly segment that is slated to vote on June 22.
When the Zero Hour began in the Lower House, Opposition Congress Legislative party leader and MLA Leh, Nawang Rigzin Jora, rose up from the Opposition Benches and demanded the government to come clean on money which was recovered by police from two persons in poll-bound Anantnag.
Jora said that police has arrested two persons in Ashajipora, Anantnag, with Rs 58 lakh in an Alto car. “One of the two identified is a JK Bank employee,” Jora said.
“The Bank official has told the police that the money is meant for Chest. But which Bank is open during night. And when the bank has to transport money, the van has police escort, a proper protocol is followed,” he said.
“Being so much ambiguity in the case, it is clear that it was meant for distributing among voters in Anantnag where chief minister is contesting the elections,” he alleged.
Besides his party legislators, the Congress leader was supported by main Opposition National Conference.
All the MLAs of the two parties rose up from Opposition benches and shouted slogans against the government over the issue.
“Loot maar bandh karo, paisa bantna bandh karo,” the members shouted, created ruckus in the House.
Amid din, the minister for consumer affairs and public distribution, Choudhary Zulfikar Ali, replied that the accusations of the Opposition are “unfounded”.
“There is no truth in the accusation that you are leveling,” Ali told the protesting Opposition. “Give proof if you are accusing that money is being distributed among voters.
The minister said that the state government has no role in conducting the polls.
“You are leveling allegations in air without any proof. May be you are distributing money to voters. If you have any proof, go to complaint to Election Commission of India which is conducting polls in Anantnag assembly segment,” the minister said.
Unconvinced by the reply of the minister, the Opposition staged Walk out over the issue.
Later, during discussion on allocation of grants for PHE and IFC departments, the minister said the government has conducted an inquiry into the case in which police has confiscated the money and detained two persons.
“It has been found that the money belonged to the JK Bank and was to be deposited DK Pora Anantnag Chest,” Ali said.
However, the Opposition created disruptions and again staged Walk out of the House.
The Anantnag assembly segment is slated to go for by-polls on June 22 where Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is contesting against NC’s Iftikar Misgar and Congress’s Hilal Shah.
The seat fell vacant due to the demise of former chief minister late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed on January 7 this year.
(KNS)