Key Points
NC and Congress demand House committee to investigate chartered flight expenses
G20 summit travel sparks financial controversy
BJP defends expenditure as tourism promotion
Speaker promises Chief Minister's response
The ruling National Conference (NC) and Congress MLAs sought the setting up of a House committee to probe the expenditure on chartered flights in the UT.
Speaking on the grants of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, MLA Shopian, Shabir Ahmad Kullay, raised the question of spending Rs 35 crore on chartered flights for various people including those coming here for the G20 summit.
"Who has spent such a huge amount on chartered flights? Who used chartered flights? Is this not bureaucratic corruption? We need to probe how such state exchequer funds were spent? Isn't it bureaucratic corruption?" the MLA questioned.
He was supported by NC members including Javaid Beigh and others, all of them seeking the constitution of a House committee.
Opposition BJP members also stood up countering the NC demand saying that the amount was spent for the G20 summit and for promoting tourism in Kashmir.
BJP MLA Balwant Mankotia told the NC and Congress members not to play to the galleries.
"It is the department under the Chief Minister. He has full authority. Let him order a probe. In fact, all expenditures since 2009, when it was your government was in power should be probed", Mankotia said.
This resulted in the exchange of verbal accusations and noisy scenes in the House.
Pawan Gupta of the BJP said there should be substantial evidence, wild allegations cannot form the basis for a House committee constitution.
Congress MLA from Bandipora Nizamuddin Bhat also demanded the constitution of a House committee to probe the allegation.
NC MLA and spokesman Tanvir Sadiq supported the demand for setting up a House committee.
Finally, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather intervened saying that the Chief Minister would address the concerns of the members on the issue.
