Saahil Suhail
Jammu, Dec 27: Vice-Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir State Advisory Board for the Development of Gujjars and Bakerwals, Choudhary Zafar Ali Khatana Wednesday resigned after he was accused of encouraging nepotism.
Justifying his decision, Choudhary Zafar Ali Khatana claimed that he was being bypassed while the government was chalking-out developmental plan for the Gujjar and Bakerwal community.The PDP leader from South Kashmir’s Bidhar-Kokernag was appointed Vice-Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir State Advisory Board for the Development of Gujjars and Bakerwals in year 2015.
According to sources, a group of Gujjar and Bakerwal leaders had leveled serious allegations of nepotism and corruption against him at different forums.
“The Gujjar and Bakerwal leaders who are affiliated with ruling People’s Democratic Party brought the issue of nepotism into the notice of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti during public darbar she held in Anantnag last month,” sources revealed.
They also revealed that these leaders pointed out that Choudhary Zafar Ali Khatana allotted sheep-farms to some blue-eyed and undeserving people most of who are affiliated with National Conference.
“As Vice-Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir State Advisory Board for the Development of Gujjars and Bakerwals, Choudhary Zafar Ali Khatana had to ensure these sheep farms are allotted to deserving but surprisingly he allotted them to blue-eyed,” they alleged.However, in his defense, Choudhary Zafar Ali Khatana claimed that he was being bypassed and had no powers vested in him.
“I have been on chair without any powers for three years. People came to me with the hopes to get their demands addressed but I couldn’t as I have no powers vested in the chair,” Khatana wrote on Wednesday in his resignation letter, a copy of which lies with Early Times.
Plan for the tribal community is decided without my consultation and the chair is ignored while preparing development plan under SCA to TSP, he alleged.
Khatana refuted the allegations said that he was being unnecessarily dobbed as loyalist of some other political party.
“In 2015, Radio Kashmir had organized a function to remember Ghulam Hassan Lassanavi popularly known as Gujjar Gandhi, father of Congress leader Ch Mohd Aslam. I was invited and so attended the function but now the photographs of that function are being circulated to defame my reputation,” he added.
Choudhary Zafar Ali Khatana in his resignation letter has conveyed to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti that he will not sacrifice his blood relations for party or chair.ETR
