For more than a week now Senior Congress leader and PHE Minister Taj Mohiuddin is in news, obviously for wrong reasons. The House panel that probed the charges of forest land grab against him was finally disbanded by the Legislative Council Chairman Amrit Malhotra; reason, most panel members, including those of National Conference pulled out from the committee rendering it defunct. The LC Chairman had constituted the panel last month after Jammu and Kashmir Panthers Party (JKNPP) MLC Syed Rafiq Shah alleged in the Legislative Council that Taj grabbed the forest land in South Kashmir’s Shopian district. He had produced documents to substantiate his claim.
Since the day Shah leveled allegations, Taj maintained that he was “innocent” and that this all was being done to malign his image. He used all his power to ensure that the committee probing the charges was disbanded. Taj emerging victorious helped the cause of the Congress party to a great extent. If the allegations against Taj would prove correct Congress would have been left with no other option than asking him to step down like G M Saroori and Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed. Congress could have lost one more portfolio, but it did not happen. Congress at present cannot afford to lose a cabinet berth as the options available with it in the Valley are limited. Some people are of the opinion that NC pulled out its legislators from the House Committee at the behest of Congress high command as it had made clear to Omar that party cannot lose one more minister.   Whether Taj was guilty or not, but it has send a clear message to masses that it is very difficult to hold  “powerful people accountable.”
During the past few years State Congress leaders have been in the midst of various controversies. On many occasions charges were leveled against them, enquiries were conducted and then dumped. Congress remaining in power has made it a powerful force and its leaders seem to be enjoying it. They seem to be least bothered about their image. It seems they have realized that no party can form a government in Jammu and Kashmir without the support of the Congress Party.
Till 2002 Congress had a limited role in state politics, but during past one decade it has emerged as the most potent player, playing kingmaker’s role. There has been a drastic shift in New Delhi’s Kashmir policy after 1990. It has ensured that no regional or local party forms the government on its own. Local parties remaining dependent on a national party for power makes it easy for New Delhi to rule JK by proxy. People who enjoy New Delhi’s patronage are the most powerful men and Taj has proved it.

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Lastupdate on : Tue, 13 Nov 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 13 Nov 2012 18:30:00 GMT
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