Srinagar, Sep 30 (IANS) Some ministers of the ruling National Conference (NC) Monday moved a breach of privilege motion in the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly against former Indian Army chief V.K. Singh.
State Finance Minister and senior National Conference leader Abdul Rahim Rather told the assembly that the former army chief, General V.K. Singh, had damaged the image not only of the Indian Army, but also of the country internationally.
“He has set fire by issuing a statement alleging that payments were made to some ministers and members of this august house. He cannot be allowed to now go and sit silent in his house. If he has proof, he must put it in the domain of this august house,” Rather said.
“I request every member of this august house to support the motion and put the former army chief in the dock of this house for attempting to bring down the prestige of this house. The house has the power to do so,” the state finance minister said.
Assembly Speaker Mubarak Gul confirmed that his office has received the privilege motion against V.K. Singh, and the order would be passed shortly.
The motion comes in the wake of V.K. Singh’s claims that payments have been made by the army to ministers in the state since Independence in 1947, for “winning people’s hearts”. State Minister of Agriculture and Congress leader Ghulam Hassan Mir had received Rs.1.19 crore from the army, the general alleged.
The state legislature began its short autumn session in Srinagar Monday.
The session ended with obituary references to deceased former Rajya Sabha member D.C. Prashant, former member of the state legislative council D.K. Kotwal, and former secretary of the state assembly Ghulam Nabi Shora.