Massive irregularities in SASB during Sinha's tenure: Qarra

  • 08/07/2008

  • Kashmir Times (Jammu)

Lashing out at the former Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha for his constant diatribe against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), senior PDP leader Tariq Hameed Qarra has accused Gen Sinha of having gone astray following his unceremonious exit from the State's gubernatorial post. "After putting the State on fire through his communal overtures, Gen Sinha is now, out of frustration, trying to fuel these fires through his spiteful tirade against the people of Jammu & Kashmir," Qarra said in a statement issued here today. "It would be advisable for Gen Sinha to keep his mouth shut and not foment the State's troubles, that are to a large extent his creation," he said and added that Gen Sinha should have learnt a lesson that how ignominiously he had to depart from the State's Raj Bhawan for his bare-faced prejudices. Reacting to the latest utterances of Gen Sinha wherein he has charged PDP of being a pawn in the hands of fundamentalists and militants backed by Pakistan, Qarra said such madcap outpourings could only emanate from a diseased and communal mind. "Gen Sinha is nursing a genuine grudge against the PDP leaders, as they scuttled his concealed strategy of coercing Hindutva agenda on Jammu & Kashmir by trying to use Amarnath Yatra - a matter of faith and composite cultural affair, to realise his hidden expansionist designs," he said and added that under the garb of a matter of faith, Gen Sinha and his coterie, reportedly, pocketed a major chunk of money, raised from the yatra, for their personal luxuries. Demanding a CBI probe into the reported massive financial irregularities committed by the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) and Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board authorities during the tenure of Gen Sinha, Qarra said the people have a right to know what was happening behind the veil all these years and the persons involved in inducing corruption even in the matters of faith should be taken to task for allegedly plundering crores of rupees that were to be used for providing facilities to the yatris. "Let the Government unmask the faces who have been committing grave wrongdoings in the financial matters of these Boards during the last five years," he said and added that now when a new and upright team has assumed charge at the Raj Bhawan, the financial transgressions of the former Governor and his coterie must be made public. "There are reports that the Board authorities have, during the past five years, siphoned of crores of rupees to their personal coffers and sweeping irregularities have been committed in appointments, awarding contracts, purchase of vehicles, operationalisation of helicopter services and through fraudulent withdrawal of medical and TA bills," he said and added such complaints need to be looked into at the highest level as any financial misconduct by the Board authorities amounts to breach of faith and contempt of the people's trust. Expressing dismay over the dubious role of some State politicians in furthering the communal and commercial agenda of the former Governor, Qarra said in a misconstrued effort to settle scores with PDP, some unconsidered politicians in the State became pawns in the hands of Gen Sinha, and the result is there for everybody to see. "Gen Sinha's brazen and prejudiced interference in the affairs of the State Government after 2005 messed up the situation culminating in perilious polarisation," he said.