Ruling National Conference and Congress and main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) today unitedly created uproar in the Legislative Assembly in protest against delay in issuance of passports to aspirants of Haj pilgrimage. They resented denial of passports even to distant relatives of militants.
Three PDP MLAs staged a walk-out on the issue.
Amidst uproar, Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone passed some remarks pertaining to MLAs, which he expunged later and urged media not to report them.
On its part, the Government attributed delay in issuance of passports not to verification but due to heavy load of applications and multiple addresses mentioned by the people besides a new policy of the Union Government.
Minister of State for Home Nasir Aslam Wani said during 2010, the Government had cleared 61,217 applications while during 2011 till December 31, 58,784 applications have been cleared.
PDP MLA and former Minister Javed Mustafa Mir raised issue in the Assembly after Question Hour saying the aspirants of pious Haj pilgrimage were facing problems due to delay in issuance of passports and verification.
"If Yasin Malik (JKLF leader) can be issued passport and allowed to perform Haj, why can’t a common man? The Chair should issue a direction to the agencies for early completion of verification of people to facilitate Haj pilgrimage’’, Mustafa said.
National Conference MLA from Kupwara, Saifullah Mir joined the issue saying that Haj pilgrims had to wait for a long time to get passports. Pointing out that he got the passport after eight months though being a MLA, Mr Mir wanted to know what would be the fate of a common man?
PDP MLA and former Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri said the Haj form was now being given only when the applicant showed the passport. This way the people were suffering due to delay in issuance of passports, he added.
The Speaker while appreciating concern of the MLAs passed some remarks, which evoked reaction from some of the MLAs including Congress leader and former Minister GA Mir and others. The Speaker later expunged his remarks.
Minister for Haj Aijaz Ahmed Khan tried to pacify the agitated MLAs saying the Ministry for External Affairs dealt the issue. Earlier, the Union Government used to issue temporary passports for Haj. However, now the people, who didn’t possess international passports were not being allowed to leave for Haj.
Not satisfied with the reply, three PDP MLAs—Javed Mustafa Mir, Dr Mohammad Shaffi Wani and Mushtaq Shah staged a walk-out in the Assembly. Javed Mir protested in middle of the House demanding immediate passports for the Haj aspirants before staging a walk-out along with his two colleagues.
Intervening, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar advised the MLAs to refrain from passing general remarks and give specific complaints, if they had any, pertaining to delay in issuance of passport. There can be some communication gap in some cases but, in most of the cases, the passports were being issued on time, he added.
National Conference legislators—Saifullah Mir, Kafeel-ur-Rehman and Nazir Gurezi, Congress members GA Mir, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, Vakar Rasool and Krishan Chander Bhagat and almost all PDP MLAs were on their feet.
Basharat Bukhari, Abdul Haq Khan, Rafiq Khan and Mohammad Khaleel Bhand (all PDP) were nearly in middle of the House demanding simplification of procedure for passport verification of Haj pilgrims.
Congress MLA GA Mir observed that just like Members of Parliament (MPs) have some exemptions, the MLAs should also be extended similar privileges. ``Even the civilians get passports on recommendations of the MPs. We are elected representatives. Our recommendations should also be considered’’, Mr Mir said and also urged the Chair to clarify remarks made on the observations of Saifullah Mir.
The Speaker maintained that the MLA is an authority and no body can challenge it. However, he asserted that verification by the agencies for issuance of passport was a must even for a MLA.
PDP MLA and former Minister Syed Bashir said father of surrendered militant applied for the passport and got it. However, uncle of the surrendered militant was black-listed on the ground that his nephew happened to be a former militant.
He along with many other MLAs of PDP claimed that the people were being denied passports as their distant relatives were involved in militancy. They recalled that even Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had also assured that the people wouldn’t be denied passports merely on the pretext that their distant relatives happened to be militants or former militants.
Responding to concern of the members from different political parties, both ruling coalition partners and the main opposition, Minister of State for Home Nasir Aslam Wani said the Government has adopted a very clear policy that no Haj aspirant would be denied passport merely on the ground that his distant relative was involved in militancy.
"We don’t practice this policy. We have issued clear directions that passport cases of the Haj pilgrims should be expedited and cleared at the earlier’’, Mr Wani said telling the House that 61,217 applications were cleared during 2010 while this year till December 2011, 58,784 applications have been cleared.
"The delay in verification and issuance of passports was not because the aspirants had distant relatives as militants but because of the heavy load and multiple addresses given by the people. The agencies had to conduct verification at all the addresses mentioned by the applicants. The Next of Kins (NoKs) of militants were not being stopped from performing Haj but the applications were held up due to heavy load’’, the MoS Home said.
He added that if the MLAs have any specific complaint they can bring it out to his notice and he would take immediate action.
Mr Wani said for 2012 Haj, the Government of India (Ministry of External Affairs) had introduced new rules under which a copy of passport had to be attached with the application. Earlier, the passport had to be produced when the Haj list was issued. He said the Haj Ministry has repeatedly been issuing advertisements and the aspirants should apply for passports timely. ``We will expedite the process for issuance of passports’’, he added.
As far as the passports of MLAs/MLCs were concerned, Nasir Aslam Wani assured them that verification of their passports would be done on priority.
"Most of the MLAs have passports. Some of the legislators, who didn’t possess passports, can apply and their verification process would be expedited’’, he said.
After sometime, NC MLA Nazir Gurezi urged the Chair to expunge the remarks made about the MLAs as they have created confusion and sent a wrong message outside. The Speaker said he had no intentions to cast aspersions on the MLAs though he had reports that some MLAs from both sides have spoken against him in the lobby, which was not good.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar and PDP leader Abdul Rehman Veeri said they have high regards for the Speaker.
Mr Lone expunged the remarks.
