A Congress MLA today alleged that his constituency had been discriminated against in the matter of distribution of solar lights and sought the resignation of Jammu and Kashmir minister Feroz Ahmed over the matter before staging a walkout from the Assembly.
Congress MLA GM Saroori, the legislator from Indrawal constituency in Kishtwar district, said that minister Feroz Ahmed had diverted the entire allocation of solar lights and solar cookers to one constituency.
"You (Ahmed) should resign for being discriminatory and distributing solar lights in the constituency of one MLA (belonging to NC party)," said Saroori. Ahmed is the Minister of State for Science and Technology.
Saroori exchanged strong words with Ahmed who, for his part, promised a probe in the matter. But, not satisfied by the reply, Saroori staged a walkout from the House.
The Union Ministry for New and Renewable Energy (which is headed by National Conference leader Dr Farooq Abdullah) had sanctioned 10,000 solar lights, each valued at Rs 12,000, and 6,000 solar cookers, costing Rs 6,000 each, for Kishtwar district, Saroori later told reporters while alleging that discrimination was done over the distribution of the said items.
"My constituency (Inderwal) is also part of Kishtwar district; but all 16,000 solar lights and cookers have been shifted to Kishtwar Assembly segments and being distributed among the workers of a party," Saroori said.
He claimed that 10 per cent of the cost of the solar cookers had even been borne by him from his Constituency Development Fund.
Meanwhile, an opposition PDP member from Kishtwar alleged that solar cookers were distributed amongst NC workers in the district despite assurances by the state government.
The issue was raised by Sayed Asgar Ali of PDP soon after Question Hour began today in the Legislative Council. The PDP member alleged that the solar cookers were distributed in the district at the behest of NC leaders and in sheer violation of rules.
