By-elections to be fairest of all: Azad

Jammu, Apr 5 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today said the coming by-elections in the state shall be fairest of all and any government employee, civil or police found involved in violation of code of conduct shall not be spared.

The Chief Minister while addressing a public meeting at Bhaderwah town said he had earlier contested Lok Sabha elections from Maharashtra but taking over as CM of the state he decided to become a member of the legislature.

He said he has opted to contest the election from his home constituency and invited all parties to field their candidates from this constituency to strengthen pillars of democracy.

''During the last 16 years militancy has given nothing to people except miseries and deprivation. The Centre's economic liberalisation politices started decades before and all the states of the country were beneficiaries of economic liberalisation except Jammu and Kashmir which has lagged behind in all fields but made its mark by being corrupt state, he said.

He appreciated the fact that since last five months, the corruption graph was going downward. However, this momentum is required to be accelerated further. he added.

''The ministers and government employees are paid handsome salaries for executing develoment works and serve the people, therefore they should honestly do their job, he underlined.

Azad also appealed to the people to keep a check on develpment activities which have been started in the state so that funds are utilised in their execution and no pilferage of money is done by corrupt elements.

The Chief Minister said his personal desire to come to the state was also based on his determination to work of everlasting peace. It is only in the atmosphere of peace that the state can progress and compete with other developed states, he added.

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