Diplomat Correspondent
Jammu, (DD): Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday stated that no individual should be punished for the crimes of their relatives and directed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to comply with the recent High Court ruling on verification processes.
Speaking in the Legislative Assembly during discussions on departmental grants, Omar said that verification should not be used as a punitive tool.
“When we prevent someone from securing a job based on CID verification, we are using it as a weapon. That is not its intended purpose,” he said.
He added that the High Court had rightly ruled in February that a person’s family background cannot be grounds for denial of opportunities.
“There is no law anywhere in the world that punishes a son for the crimes of his father. The principle is that one individual cannot be penalised for another’s actions,” he said.
Omar assured the Assembly that CID would be instructed to strictly follow the High Court’s ruling.
In February, the High Court had ruled that a criminal family background cannot be a reason to reject a passport application.
Amnesty Scheme for PDD Consumers
The Chief Minister also announced an amnesty scheme for Power Development Department (PDD) consumers but said that modifications would be made to ensure fairness.
“We cannot keep offering amnesty repeatedly. If we continue to do so, aren’t we unfairly penalising those who diligently pay their bills?” Omar asked.
Need to Revive the Roshini Scheme
Omar also spoke about the Roshini Scheme, saying that there is a need for its reintroduction. He said his government was unable to defend it in the High Court due to amendments made during the tenure of former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Transparent Policy for Advertisements
Omar also addressed concerns about the alleged pick-and-choose policy in the release of government advertisements to newspapers.
“There are grievances that advertisements are distributed selectively. I assure the House that there will be no discrimination, and advertisements will be released in a transparent manner,” he said.
He added that newspapers relying solely on government advertisements should not be considered independent.
Omar also assured the media that no one would be punished for speaking the truth.
“You should highlight our mistakes and make people aware of faults. However, we will not tolerate fake news,” he said.
He also said that Kashmir should have only one press club and that journalists would be asked to hold elections to form a managing committee.(DD)