Srinagar/Oct,30 : Former Union Minister Prof Saif Ud Soz on Saturday said that Lt Governor led J&K Administration is a temporary arrangement and authority to designated schools, colleges, roads and other public facilities lies only with the elected assembly of Jammu & Kashmir
In a statement issued here on Saturday Prof Soz said“I wonder why the present Union Territory govt. was in a hurry to give names to schools and other institutions as per recommendations of certain Bureaucrats! as is common knowledge, such decisions should be taken by the bodies that are formed through duly elected representatives”.
Stating that “the current decision of changing the names of public institutions is an affront to the Jammu and Kashmir peoples’ sensibilities!” Prof Soz in his statement further said “all designations and names given to institutions thus far had been done keeping wishes of the peoples’ representatives in view”, adding therein that “there is a tradition of respecting the views of recognized leaders of public opinion”.
Citing instances in favour of his argument Prof Soz said “It is, for example, that I mention just one institution of public importance. The foundation of the prestigious State Hospital at Kaka Sarai, Karan Nagar was laid down on 6th May, 1943 by Maharaja Hari Singh”.
Reminding that “when the Public Government was instituted in 1947, it did not change that name and thus, it respected the age-old tradition of Kashmir”, the former Union Minister said ” the present Govt. has been chosen by the Central Govt. as a temporary measure and how can it deal with the subjects that need approval from the people of the state?”
Saying that I regret to say that the Modi Govt. is in a hurry to do things rather awkwardly. That way, we have fallen to the bad times!, Prof Soz in the concluding para of his statement said “we have wise men and women in Jammu and Kashmir and, therefore, we must not allow the temporary administration to dabble in effecting change in the name of institutions of public importance and leave this matter to the elected representatives, for the future!”
