J-K assembly passes resolution to conduct probe into ex-Army Chief's allegations

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has passed a unanimous resolution asking the Central Government to conduct an inquiry into allegations levelled by former Army Chief General V.K. Singh.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah told the state assembly yesterday that he had written to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh regarding the corruption allegations levelled by former army chief General V.K.Singh, and said that he had demanded an extensive probe into the issue to restore the credibility of all political parties in the state.

"On 25 September, I wrote a letter to the Prime Minister and did not declare this in the public earlier because the Prime Minister was abroad at that time. I did not want that before his reading my letter, the media takes over and scrutinises the letter," Abdullah told the house.

In the letter, Abdullah said that he explicitly demanded a probe into the matter, the conclusions of which should be shared with the general public as and when they become available, so that the credibility of the politicians of Jammu and Kashmir is restored.

"Without any specific details, the finger of suspicion is being pointed to all mainstream politicians. This has called enormous damage to the institution of democracy in the state," Abdullah wrote in his letter to Dr. Manmohan Singh.

"Such a course of action would help clear the confusion and the doubts from the minds of the people and restore, to a significant extent, credibility of mainstream political parties and members amongst our people," he added.

Abdullah also assured the House that he was acting on behalf of all political parties in the state, and not only for his own government.

Earlier, former chief of army staff disclosed that money from a secret army fund was given to some ministers in the Government of Jammu and Kashmir. Later he clarified that they were given for social schemes and not for destabilising the State government as was reported in a Delhi newspaper.

General Singh told television channels that the money was given as part of Operation Sadbhavna schemes carried out by the army.

He said it was given to only to stabilise areas affected by terror, as well as the areas across the border.

General Singh had earlier stated that certain ministers in the Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet were given these amounts from time to time, which prompted the state government and the Union Home Ministry to ask him on Tuesday to name the ministers who were paid the money.