Farooq Abdullah wants VK Singh's funding claim probed

Wants a CBI probe into claims of the former army chief that the army routinely paid J&K ministers 'as part of the stabilising factor'

Union New and Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday called for a CBI inquiry into claims of former army chief VK Singh that the army routinely paid Jammu and Kashmir ministers "as part of the stabilising factor".

Speaking to reporters, Abdullah, a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, termed the revelations of Singh as "terrible" and said the army should always remain apolitical.

"The time has come for a CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) inquiry to be held immediately to see what funding was done, who are the people who received the funds, and how the funds were utilized," said Abdullah, the patron of Jammu and Kashmir's ruling National Conference party.

Asked if his son and state Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was aware of the revelations, the senior Abdullah said: "I don't know what my son is aware of."

He said he learnt of VK Singh's statement only from the media. "I feel extremely sad that the army had utilised money in this manner."

"The army should be apolitical and remain apolitical," said the union minister.

The former army chief told Times Now  news channel that the army "transfers all the money to ministers in Jammu and Kashmir because there are various things to be done, as part of the stabilising factor in Jammu and Kashmir, as part of the activities to be organised".

He said the army had also funded the Kashmir Premiere League cricket tournament.

"It is nothing new...for the last so many years since the Independence of the country this has been going on. It has been a practice. This is a system to ensure that all the governments are helped," Singh told the news channel.