Sex scandal has no bearing on govt's image: Azad

Srinagar, June 22 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today denied the recent sex scandal, in which a Congress MLA has also been arrested, had any bearing on his government's image.

Talking to visiting mediapersons, attending the Editors Conference on Social Issues Focus on Jammu and Kashmir here, Mr Azad said, ''Why is Jammu and Kashmir being singled out. Such incidents are also happening in Mumbai and Delhi.'' The sex scandal, in which many prominent people of the state including some politicians and police officials are accused, had rocked the valley with large scale protests.

Asked about the controversy over the artificial Shivalingam at the holy Amarnath cave shrine, Mr Azad said the Shrine Boards for both the Amarnath and Vaishno Devi, responsible for their upkeep, are fully autonomous bodies being headed by Governor General (Retd.) S K Sinha and the state government has no role in their working.

''We are just responsible for the protection of the pilgrims,'' he said.

He, however, parried questions regarding the recent spurt in militant violence especially yesterday's attack on the Amarnath yatris.

About the suicide by Lt Sushmita Chakravarty in Udhampur, the Chief Minister said security forces deployed in the state suffer from stress as it was a ''high tension zone''.

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