Selection of J&K CM's cousin as officer raises political storm

The selection of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's cousin as a senior officer in a government department has raised a political storm in the state.

The Opposition National Conference (NC) and netizens have sought an explanation from Mehbooba over the appointment of her cousin Syed Aroot Madni, who is the son of ruling Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) general secretary, as an executive officer in the J&K Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB).  

Not only  Aroot, another close relative of senior PDP leader Peer Mansoor, who heads the KVIB, also figures  on the list.

The NC spokesperson Junaid Matu in a statement asked Mehbooba to explain how the duo figured on the list. "The government has taken the patience of unemployed youth for granted and it should not try to portray this brazen nepotism as a miraculous coincidence. Most of the people figuring in the final list issued by the KVIB are either child of close associates of PDP leaders or have direct patronage from the powers that be," he alleged.

While ridiculing the PDP's "self-rule" slogan, a netizen Ashfaq Rather wrote on his Facebook wall: "#SelfRuleAroot Madni S/o Sartaj Madni selected as executive officer and Peer Mansoor's son got selected as  assistant  executive officer."

Majid Hyderi, a freelance journalist, said: "Heartiest Congratulations to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Sahiba for seemingly getting her cousin (Uncle Sartaj Madni's son) selected for the post of Executive Office, equivalent to Gazetted officer in Khadi and Village Board headed by PDP leader Peerzada Mansoor. Self-Rule Accomplished (sic)."

After the social networking sites were flooded with comments over the issue, 2010-IAS topper Shah Faesal also jumped into the debate. While indirectly referring to these appointments, he wrote on  Facebook: "If its true that the merit list has been rigged then instead of an inquiry there should be an FIR. High time that we take those people to task who push our educated youngsters to  wall  and kill their confidence."