April-17 - Tea with The Tribune - Ashok Kumar, Ramban MLA

‘Cong is against divisive policies’

Ashok Kumar, Ramban MLA, and a government teacher-turned-politician, is the only member in the state Assembly who belongs to the Scheduled Caste category.

Representing the Congress and owing allegiance to the Ghulam Nabi Azad faction, Ashok Kumar is trying hard to bring some development in the underdeveloped Ramban district, which has the second highest number of BPL population in the state.

During an interaction with The Tribune, he tried to explain his and his party’s views on the controversial inter-district recruitment ban. He was the member of a select committee that passed the Bill to be tabled in the Assembly.

Kanav Gupta, a student of the Mahant Bachittar Singh College of Engineering and Technology, Jammu, also joined The Tribune team.

Following are the excerpts:

Dinesh Manhotra (DM): You faced criticism for allowing the controversial Inter-District Recruitment Ban Bill to be tabled in the Assembly. It was only later that reservation for Scheduled Castes was included. Were you not aware of the issue or you deliberately followed the lines of the National Conference?

Ashok Kumar (AK): I want to make it clear that as member of the select committee, I had opposed the move to debar SCs and STs from inter-district recruitment. I had clearly mentioned this before finalising the report. Further, during a debate in the Assembly on the issue, I had strongly advocated the cause of SCs and STs.

I reiterate that I insisted on quota for SCs. I have suggested the government to fill the SC quota from a district and the remaining seats can be filled from other seats.

Jupinderjit Singh (JS): The Congress seemed to have caught on wrong foot again as happened with the Permanent Residents (Women) Disqualification Bill. What was the stand of your party?

AK: The Congress is against any kind of divisive policies and encouraging regionalism. The recruitment ban was necessary to help people of underdeveloped districts get jobs. We are totally against any regional divide and our stand is clear.

Ravi Krishnan Khajuria (RKK): What do you think about creamy layer in the SC category? Should it be exempted from the ambit of new job Bill?

AK: It is my personal opinion that creamy layer within the SC community should not avail benefits of reservation under this Bill. For instance, I feel that an IAS officer’s son from the SC community does not need reservation in the Inter-District Recruitment Bill.

JJS: You were a government teacher before joining politics. How did you foray into politics?

AK: The credit goes to our former Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad. He wanted a candidate with clean image from Ramban. I was once leader of an organisation of unemployed youths. Though I lost the first elections with a thin margin, Azad sahib kept faith in me and I won the next elections with a massive lead.

DM: You won the Assembly elections, but in the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress could not get lead from your constituency.

AK: The Congress lagged behind the BJP in the Ramban Assembly segment since issues in parliamentary elections were entirely different from state issues. Secondly, the Assembly elections were fought under the leadership of Ghulam Nabi Azad while in the Lok Sabha polls, he (Azad) could not campaign for party candidates in the state.

DM: You mean that the Congress received a setback in the state after Azad was moved to national politics?

AK: No doubt about that. Azad is a charismatic leader who is aware of local issues. Moreover, he has direct interaction with grass-roots level workers of the party. He has the capability to infuse enthusiasm among the party cadre.

DM: There are reports that you were denied ministerial berth due to your proximity with Azad. Is it true?

AK: I am not aware whether my name figured in the list of ministers or not. But one thing is clear that I don’t believe in factionalism. It is also a reality that Azad has encouraged me to join politics so I always consider him as my political mentor.

Sunaina Kaul (SK): The majority of people who are demanding cancellation of constituency development funds to legislatures, allege that these funds are being misused by some legislatures? What is your opinion?

AK: On the contrary, I think the government should increase the fund limit from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore per year. The MLA is the only person who knows about the requirement of his constituency and he needs funds for development. There are some people who misuse funds. But you have to show some work on the ground. Moreover, the MLAs do not have the money freely available to them. It is kept with the deputy commissioners who spend it.

JJS: What kind of development works have you taken in your constituency?

AK: Since my election, 70 schools have been opened or upgraded. I have brought electricity to many villages. The road network has been widened and many far-flung places have got road and phone connectivity.

Archit Watts (AW): In winters, the Jawahar Tunnel remains closed due to snowfall and the commuters have to suffer. Is there any plan to let it open throughout the year?

AK: We are working in this regard and the government has ordered to purchase some more snow-cutters of latest technology, which are being used in other countries. Besides, a railway track is also under construction, which will surely solve the problem to some extent.

Ravi Krishnan Khajuria (RKK): The Baglihar hydroelectric project constructed over the Chenab has affected several families in Pul Doda. Has the issue been sorted out?

Ashok Kumar (AK): As far as compensation for the structures in the Pul Doda area is concerned, the government has adequately compensated them, but there are still some people from hamlets near the Dam Top area, who are awaiting relief.

Similarly, after dam reservoir came up, two bridges over the Chenab in Trungal and Marsoo villages submerged completely, causing hardships to villagers living on other side of the river. On my intervention, the government recently sanctioned two bridges, although the pace of work is very slow.

RKK: The Baglihar has come up in a seismic zone where sinking of a hill had once became a cause of concern. Has the problem been fixed?

AK: I had suggested the government to undertake a plantation drive in the area to check sinking of hills. Enough measures have been initiated by the executing agencies to fix the problem.

Kanav Gupta (student): Sir, you have the experience of examination system as you were a government teacher. What do you think could be the reasons behind the paper leak scandal ?

AK: People who get access to question papers must be those associated with the education department. Though some preventive measures have been taken, I think the whole constitution and working of the Board of School Education needs to be changed.

I fully understand the frustration of hardworking children who are directly affected by such incidents.