Jammu, Mar 15: Stating that the ruling National Conference was trying to misuse the sacred institution of the Legislature to intimidate opposition and to muzzle its voice, PDP president and legislature leader Mehbooba Mufti today informed the Legislative Assembly secretariat that she and her party MLAs had never tried to breach the privilege of the House as alleged in a notice issued to them.
She said, “The complaint asserts that we presented certain documents in the House on 12.03.2012. Your records will show that none of us presented any documents in the House as alleged. We have documents in our possession that prima facie indicate that serious irregularities and breach of trust and monetary misappropriation appear to have taken place in J&K Cricket Association headed by Dr Abdullah. We wanted to present these documents if Hon’ble Speaker had accepted our adjournment motion for discussion on this issue. If our request for discussion on this subject is allowed we will present these documents in the House. For this purpose, we may move for a discussion on this subject.
Since the complaint is founded on the basis of documents which were never presented by us in the House, the factual foundation for the complaint does not exist”.
Quoting extensively from parliamentary procedures and rules, Mehbooba informed the Secretary of the J&K Legislative Assembly that while the party legislators hold the institution of legislature in highest respect the treasury bench created hurdles in the discharge of their duties to the people who elected them. She also requested that the Speaker use his authority to prevent the treasury bench from obstructing the performance of the PDP legislators from performing their constitutional duties. However, she reiterated the resolve of her party not to get intimidated or deterred from performing their roles without any fear of reprisal. “We are determined to justify our mandate by upholding the dignity of the office of honorable speaker and the institution of this august house “ Mehbooba said.
Later in a statement the PDP chief said NC has caused incalculable damage to the democratic institutions in the state through fraud and undemocratic methods. They have trampled the demarcation line between the state and their person interests and have been treating the state for the last many decades as their personal property. “It is not through rigged the elections alone that they subverted democracy but even now when NC is no more in a dominant position in the House they are trying to undermine peoples’ rights through subterfuge, bribery, and muscle and lung power. But PDP is a reality it can no longer wish away”, she said. She pointed out that the ruling coalition had blocked discussion in the legislature over any serious matter of public interest and tried to bury scandals like sale of MLC, MLA mandates and ministerial berths leading to Yousuf Shah killing and the multi crore cricket association scam.
Mehbooba alleged NC has been looting the state resources and dominating its institutions like the Auqaf, medical institute and other institutions for years and instead of letting them work for public good misusing them for party and family interests of Abdullahs. They have not even spared the Cricket Association which is receiving huge funding from BCCI for the promotion of cricket in the state. She said crores of rupees have been siphoned off by Farooq Abullah and his cronies in a brazen loot of resources that could have helped large number of youth in showing their talent and follow their passion. But, the Abdullah family has denied even this opportunity to them and instead stolen the money required for building cricket infrastructure to construct their own palaces and secure the future of their own families. She said the PDP would continue its crusade against corruption in the state which is spearheaded by none other than the NC and its first family.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 15 Mar 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 15 Mar 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:00:00 IST