Politicians grow fast on wealth chart in 6 yrs

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 17

Accumulating wealth is not an unusual case for politicians in Jammu and Kashmir. There has been a steep rise in assets of candidates contesting again, especially MLAs in Omar Abdullah-led government.

Congress MLAs lead the tally in terms of highest increase with an average of 414 per cent. The BJP follows with an average increase of 164 per cent even though it has fielded only two of its 11 MLAs.

Five NC candidates, including Omar, have shown a decrease in assets since 2008. Omar’s assets have decreased by 81 per cent in six years. The figure was Rs 3.51 crore in 2008 and Rs 65.69 lakh now.

Nowshera MLA Radhay Sham Sharma of the NC has declared a decrease of 69 per cent in assets. The figure was Rs 10.02 crore in 2008 and Rs 3.13 crore now.

Congress minister Taj Mohiuddin, who is the Uri MLA, has declared the maximum rise in assets. The increase of Rs 18.31 crore from Rs 1.11 crore to Rs 19.43 crore comes to 1,637 per cent.

He had not declared the value of four vehicles, two pieces of agricultural land, one piece of non-agricultural land and five commercial buildings in 2008.

Bashir Ahmad Shah, NC candidate from Bijbehara, has declared an increase of 834 per cent. His wealth increased by Rs 8.82 crore from Rs 1.05 crore in 2008 to Rs 9.88 crore now.

He had not declared the value of two vehicles, one piece of non-agricultural land and a life insurance policy in his affidavit in 2008.

The PDP candidate from Home Shalibagh, Abdul Gaffar Sofi, has rise in assets of Rs 4.17 crore. The figure was Rs 8.6 crore in 2008 and Rs 12.77 crore now.

The average increase in assets of 18 NC candidates contesting again was 50 per cent from Rs 2.45 crore in 2008 to Rs 3.67 crore now.

Seven PDP in the fray again have declared an average hike of 104 per cent from Rs 1.78 crore in 2008 to Rs 3.64 crore now.

All three Panthers Party MLAs who are trying their luck again have declared an average increase of 124 per cent from Rs 29.74 lakh in 2008 to Rs 68.04 lakh now.

Haji Mohammad Ashraf, NC MLA from Sopore, has declared a raise of 20,011 per cent. He had just Rs 90,000 in 2008, but owned Rs 1.81 crore now.

The total assets of Mohammad Khalil Bandh, PDP candidate from Pulwama, has increased by 9,564 per cent. He was the owner of Rs 2 lakh in 2008, but his assets were valued at Rs 1.93 lakh now.

The BJP candidate from Bishnah, Ashwani Kumar Sharma, declared a raise of 3,532 per cent. He had Rs 2.28 lakh in 2008 and over Rs 82 lakh now.

This information was given by Balvinder Singh, state coordinator of the Association for Democratic Reforms, a national non-political organisation spearheading the movement for electoral reforms.

It had analysed the affidavits of 45 of the 68 MLAs contesting the Assembly elections again. The data submitted by 23 MLAs was not available.

He demanded that the Income Tax Department should verify the affidavits of the MLAs contesting again who had not declared their assets in 2008 so that action could be initiated against them.

Speedy pace of progress 

• Haji Mohammad Ashraf, NC legislator from Sopore, has submitted that his assets rose by 20,011 per cent
• Mohammad Khalil Bandh, PDP nominee from Pulwama, has recorded growth of 9,564 per cent in assets
• BJP’s Bishnah candidate Ashwani Kumar Sharma has progressed by 3,532 per cent on the chart
• Uri MLA and Congress minister Taj Mohiuddin has declared increase in assets by 1,637 per cent