SASB Act 2000 unveils the hidden agenda of NC, PDP

Srinagar, Jun 25 (UNI) Alleging that National Conference (NC) was responsible for eroding the constitution and special status of the state, People's Democratic Party (PDP) said people have every right to know under what circumstances the party enacted a law authorising Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) in 2000 to undertake developmental activities concerning the holy shrine.

A senior PDP leader, who filed a criminal case in a local court and privilege motion in the Legislative Council against SASB Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Arun Kumar, Murtaza Khan said the NC was now misleading the people.

He said Leader of the Opposition Abdul Rahim Rather was lying and people want to know from him about the circumstances which compelled NC to enact a law authorising SASB to encroach upon the soil of Kashmir.

Mr Khan said that Section 16 clause (d) of this controversial Act reads.'' To undertake developmental activities concerning the area of the shrine and it surroundings.'' He asked why the section was not defined properly and what was the agenda of not defining the area of shrine and its surroundings.

Mr Khan said that it was here that NC, now the main opposition party in the state, gave inroads to the SASB under a hidden agenda to encroach upon the land of the state.

He alleged that the NC through out its history acted as a stooge eroding the constitution and special status of the state.

Mr Khan asserted that section 16 clause (g) sub-section (i), (ii) and (iii) of the controversial SASB Act empowers the Board to undertake the construction of buildings for their accommodation, the construction of sanitary work, the improvement of means of communication.

He said that the average citizen of the state could well understand the designs behind the enactment of this law.

Mr Khan said that NC acted as defector while PDP rectified the wrongs committed by NC government.

They (NC) are agent crates and they proved it while siding with Governor Lt General (retd) S K Sinha throughout his tenure.

Whether it was question of revocation of draconian laws imposed by the NC government, reduction of troops or undermining the constitution of the state or renaming the Centre for Kashmir Studies as Institute of Kashmir Studies aimed to influence the thought process in a particular direction by distorting the history of Kashmir.

He alleged that the NC leadership backed Sinha in all anti- Kashmir moves and motives.

''Was there anything personal when Mufti Muhammad Sayed as Chief Minister denounced General Sinha for his moves aimed at undermining the constitution of the state and that of the state government over the very issue of timing of the Yatra,'' Khan said and added that at that point of time NC patron Dr Farooq Abdullah and his party supported the Governor in order to take home his blessings.

UNI BAS AB NS1828