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Author: Muzamil Jaleel
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: October 17, 2005
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/archive_full_story.php?content_id=80185
Introduction: 'I was interfering. I'm the govt, he is a govt servant'
Two days after he told The Indian Express that he would not allow politicians to meddle with the quake relief effort and slammed J&K Congress minister Taj Mohideen for ''undue interference'' in the distribution process, Uri's relief and rehabilitation in-charge Ajaz Kakroo has been sidelined. Two new officers have been sent for the relief work.
Minister Taj Mohideen justified the ''interference'' and Kakroo's shunting, saying he was ''the government''. He told The Indian Express: ''I am the government and he is a government servant. Who is he? He is accountable to me.''
''Yes, I was interfering at every level. Whatever relief comes, it comes to the government and we are responsible for its distribution,'' Taj Mohideen said.
On Friday, Kakroo, while speaking to this newspaper, slammed the minister for interfering in the distribution process, adding ''I will not be bullied by anybody and will ensure transparency.''
Known to be an upright officer, Kakroo had resisted the minister's attempts to divert relief material to villages which constitute his political base though these were not so badly hit by the quake. Mohideen is also the local MLA of Uri area.
Kakroo had conveyed to the government in that he wanted a free hand to distribute the relief: ''I am accountable and if any minister is to make the decisions, then they should shift me.'' .
Sources said that the minister was furious after Kakroo went public. The state cabinet met today-minus Taj Mohideen-and decided to post two senior officers for coordination of relief and reconstruction work.
J&K Chief Secretary Vijay Bakaya said that B A Runiyal would now be overall in-charge and Kakroo and Sharief-ud-Din, another officer posted today, would assist Runiyal.
-(With Majid Jahangir)
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