Investigate Gen VK Singh's payoff allegations: J&K Assembly to Centre

Following allegations by former Army chief General V K Singh about payoffs made by the Indian Army to politicians of Jammu & Kashmir, the state’s Legislative Assembly on Monday passed a unanimous resolution demanding a probe into his statements. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, during a discussion that lasted the better part of four hours, said Singh’s allegations had “belittled” the state’s politicians. [caption id=“attachment_115895” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  J & K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.[/caption] According to a report in The Indian Express_,_ Omar said, “The institution of mainstream politics is in danger today. It has never been affected so much… And we are not responsible for it. It is their (central government’s) inquiry (into the functioning of the Technical Services Division of the Army), it is their general and they have leaked it there. But we are paying the price,” the chief minister said. According to a leaked inquiry report into the functioning of TSD, a top-secret military intelligence unit set up by General VK Singh, funds were siphoned to pay Rs 1.19 crore to an independent MLA and minister in the J&K government to destabilise the state government. After calling the allegations “laughable”, the general later said it was no secret and such payments were a routine practice. On Monday, during a debate on a privilege motion, the minister named in the leaked inquiry report, Agriculture Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir, said he had done nothing to bring disrepute to the House. Others reportedly dared Singh to name the politicians money was allegedly paid to. Omar also said he had found out that his phones had been tapped. The BJP opposed the privilege motion as an attempt to defame the Army. The Speaker reserved his order on the motion.