Jammu, Mar 15: The issue of ‘discriminatory’ allocation of funds and release of additionalities “in selected districts” rocked the Legislative Assembly Tuesday with the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) staging a walkout from the House accusing the ruling National Conference of giving ‘preference’ to its defeated candidates over elected representatives from the opposition.
 The issue was raised by the former Deputy Chief Minister and senior PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig who while raising a supplementary to his main question sought clarification from the government over the statement of one of the ministers that defeated NC candidates are entitled to seek additionality for their respective areas.
 Baig said the Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Sagar in his reply to discussion on demand of grants for his departments had confessed that defeated candidates of the NC were being given funds for development works.
 Baig questioned, “If the government is releasing funds to the defeated candidates, does all such candidates belong to the ruling National Conference? Is there any provision for opposition candidates also?”
 Sagar reacted to the PDP MLA’s remarks and said, “Don’t misquote me. You are trying to wrongly quote me.” As the verbal spat broke out between the treasury and opposition benches, PDP leaders pressed that Chief Minister, who heads the Planning Department should reply to the query.
 Leader of opposition Mehbooba Mufti, in a supplementary, also sought a reply from the government over distribution of additionalities to the opposition legislators in their respective constituencies.
 She alleged that instead of making allocations through the elected representatives from the opposition, National Conference was distributing funds and additionalities to their defeated candidates.
 “Funds are the property of the state government and dos not belong to a particular political party. We had received a feedback that recruitment for police constables was being done in a particular constituency,” she maintained.
 Seeking reply from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who left the House without replying to the query, the PDP legislators created ruckus in the House raising slogans.
 “This is how the government contributes in the deterioration of law and order problem in Kashmir”, Mehbooba lamented said.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 15 Mar 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:00:00 IST