Kashmir Governor drops bombshell over J&K Bank recruitment process

JAMMU: Governor Satya Pal Malik today exposed more scams in the State committed during previous PDP-BJP Government saying a complete selection list of 582 candidates in Jammu and Kashmir Bank was set aside to appoint political workers in their place and raised serious question mark on the working of Public Services Commission (PSC) saying a youth was selected for KAS even without appearing in the examinations. He said the Government had recruited such youths as teachers, who had been preaching fundamentalism while Government officials were pelting stones on way back from office to homes.

Admitting that some top persons, an indirect reference towards his Advisors and bureaucrats, had misled him and made him to sign the Government Employees Medical Group Insurance Policy with Reliance General Insurance within four-five days of his office in August, Malik declared that all big fish would be booked and none spared after the Vigilance inquiry. He said he has asked the Vigilance to complete the probe within two months after which he would also file a criminal case against the accused.

In an interview with Times Now, the Governor said 40 youth approached him saying they had cleared all examinations and figured in the selection list of Jammu and Kashmir but were replaced by relatives and workers of political parties.

“I called the Jammu and Kashmir Bank Chairman. He told me that the number was not 40 but all 582 youths recruited by the Bank had been replaced with the political appointees, recommended by the leaders from every constituency. I asked the Bank Chairman to give the youth their due. I also called the Finance Secretary and finally a resolution was adopted and all 582 candidates have been given appointment letters,” he said, adding if such a justice is done with the youth, there will be no stone pelters.

“The youth were in dark…they were dejected. As there was none to help them,” he said.

When interrupted by the interviewer that the BJP was also partner with the PDP in Government when such glaring irregularities took place, Malik said it was for the BJP to reply to the allegations. However, he didn’t name the PDP-BJP.

Raising serious question mark over functioning of the PSC which had been under clout for serious discrimination with Jammu region in all recruitments made during the PDP-BJP Government headed by Mehbooba Mufti, Malik said that a youth was selected for the KAS without appearing for the examination.

“Youth with terrorist background were recruited. Some of the recruited teachers were preaching fundamentalism in the schools,” he said, adding there were instances that Government officials were found pelting stones while returning home from offices and taking Rs 500 from the separatists.

Referring to Government Group Medical Policy with Reliance General Insurance scam, the Governor without naming Advisors or senior bureaucrats, who are in the line of fire in the scam, said within four to five days of his takeover in August, they came to him and briefed him that the Policy has been well drafted and studied and was required to be implemented for benefit of employees and pensioners.

“I gave go ahead but when Government employees and others started raising fingers over the Policy, I had a detailed and fresh look at it and found discrepancies. I ordered scrapping of the contract,” he said, adding he knows who got what (in the scam), who is behind this (the Policy). “But, I will act when the inquiry is completed”.

He disclosed that he has asked the Vigilance Organization to complete the probe within two months. “I will tell the Vigilance people to stop all their work to complete the inquiry. I’m going to lodge even criminal case against those found guilty,” he said and assured that no big fish will go scot free. “All those found guilty will be punished”.

Asserting that Hurriyat Conference and separatists have only sold dreams to the people, the Governor also came down heavily on mainstream political parties, albeit without naming National Conference and PDP, saying they too haven’t been telling truth to the people and not guiding the youth properly to shun the path of violence.

Ruling out any kind of dialogue with the separatists till they shed Pakistan tag, Malik also made it clear that Pakistan has no role to play in Kashmir. Pakistan is not a stakeholder but troublemaker in Kashmir, he said, adding that holding talks with Pakistan was out of his purview as it was a Central subject.

“Gun, stone pelting or other such means will yield nothing. Only dialogue will help. Pakistan is nobody on Kashmir. No one is going to get ‘azadi’ or Pakistan. Whatever has to be given will be given under the Indian Constitution and nothing outside,” the Governor said.

He added that there seems to be pressure on militants from Pakistan to step-up the militant activities especially after successful completion of elections to the Urban Local Bodies.

“The terrorism, stone pelting and militants’ recruitment was going down. Pressure seems to have come from Pakistan on the militants to step up their activities,” he said.

Malik regretted that no political party in Kashmir has condemned the killing of Army jawan in stone pelting.

Few days back, seven civilians were killed in Kulgam. Although it was wrong on part of the civilians to rush to the encounter site before completion of sanitization operation by security forces, the Government regretted the killings and gave Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia to next of kin of those killed. But no political party condemned the killing of Army jawan in stone pelting, he regretted.

Malik admitted that previous Government was soft towards militants including their fresh recruitment and stone pelting, whose consequences the Government is facing now. He said that stone pelters would also face arrest and punishment under the law.

On the Legislative Assembly being kept under suspended animation, the Governor said it has some benefits as MLAs were using their funds for development.

“If a viable Government can’t be formed from out of the present Assembly, I will write to the President to take a decision on it,” Malik said.

On low turnout in Municipal elections, the Government said even Muslim majority towns like Uri, Poonch and Rajouri have recorded 80 per cent voting. However, in some areas, there was low turnout. At the same time, he said, some Parliament and Assembly members have also been elected with extreme low turnout. (Inputs from Times Now)