In a controversial move, the People’s Democratic Party-Congress government has cleared the list prepared by the previous National Conference regime of employees to accompany Hajis to Jeddah. The latter was accused of violating norms in favour of people with political or bureaucratic links in preparing the list.Of the 17 Khudamul Hujaj from among the 45 officials selected, five are from the Revenue Department itself that processed the list. Some employees are from the office of the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, which was asked to send the panel of employees. Sikh shrines’ condition in Pak upsets India New Delhi: India on Monday lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over poor maintenance of Sikh religious shrines of Nankana Sahib, Punja Sahib and others, and demanded proper upkeep of these places of worship. The matter was raised by Arun Kumar, jt secy (PAI) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) with Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner Jalil Abbas Gilani at a meeting held in the South Block. The poor condition of the shrines was noticed by SGPC members, who visited to Pakistan in November in connection with the Guru Nanak Jayanti, a spokesman of the MEA said. — Agencies However, a government order asking divisional commissioners to send a panel of three officials from each district has been ignored. So not a single employee from Poonch, Doda, Kathua or Ladakh has made it to the list.On June 10, the J-K General Administration Department had asked divisional commissioners of both Kashmir and Jammu to send a panel of three officials per district for being considered for deputation to accompany Hajis. ‘‘We may not have got the panel from these districts. That is why they are not included,’’ reasons G.D. Wadhwa, Commissioner Secretary, Revenue Department. However, he has no answers for why there is no one in the list from Udhampur district too, which sent three names.District Audit Officer Anwar Hussain, whose name was among the three recommended from the Udhampur district, has sent a legal notice to Wadhwa asking him to cancel the list. A copy of that notice has also been sent to the Chief Minister.When contacted, Revenue Minister Ghulam Hussein Mir said the list had been finalised by the CM and therefore all queries should be directed at him. ‘‘The administration section of the Revenue Department was involved,’’ he admits, ‘‘but approval has to be given by the Haj Ministry that is with the CM.’’However, senior officials in the Revenue Department who have to prepare the list say that a month ago, they had sent a reminder to the Ministry of External Affairs asking them to withdraw the list prepared by the Farooq government and sent to them. Sources say the reminder was sent only after a storm was raised over the inclusion of Mohammad Shafi Zindadail, a casual announcer of Radio Kashmir, as Haj Assistant in the list. Ministry of External Affairs norms clearly indicate that people to go for Haj deputation should be government employees. Zindadail being a casual announcer did not fit the category. Following a furore, Parvez Dewan, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, was forced to drop Zindadil’s name.Once the NC government was ousted from power, many expected the Mufti government to correct the wrongs and list genuine persons in the list. A disappointed Anwar says sarcastically: ‘‘The list includes gardeners. What will they do on the pilgrimage?’’
