Public outreach programme in Sopore ‘fails to serve its purpose’
‘Only a selected lot of people were invited to meet the Advisors’
PHOTO BY: ADNAN FAYAZ
Sopore, February 04: Chaotic scenes were witnessed outside Dak Banglow Sopore on Monday as a group of people, who had come here from different areas of Sopore, alleged that Public outreach programme in Sopore failed to serve its purpose as they were not allowed to meet Advisors to Governor.
According to witnesses, people hailing from Sopore and Zaingair areas were not allowed to participate in the Public outreach programme as they were stopped by the officials present at the main gate of the Dak Bungalow.
Mohammad Sultan Lone, who had come from a nearby village Harwan to attend the Public outreach programme, said that he reached near Dak Bungalow Sopore at 9 am but the officials present at the main gate did not allow him to enter the meeting hall.
“It makes me sad that I was not allowed to participate in the Public outreach programme. What is the fun of organizing Public outreach programmes when common people are not allowed to meet the advisors to Governor,” Lone added.
Another delegation under the name “Cricket Forum Sopore” also alleged that they were not allowed to enter the Dak Bungalow premises and thereof could not attend the Public outreach programme. “We came here to meet the advisors to Governor but officials present at the main gate of Dak Bungalow stopped us,” said Mohammad Yousuf, who was part of the “Cricket Forum Sopore”.
“Only a selected lot of people were invited to meet the Advisors. The Additional Deputy Commissioner’s office had extended invitations to 19 committees, while as majority of other committees were left out,” he added.
Pertinently, Advisors to the Governor, Khursheed Ahmad Ganai, Vijay Kumar and K Skandan today visited Sopore where they listened to the public grievances.
Meanwhile, Additional Deputy Commissioner Sopore, Ashiq Hussain Lily, told Kashmir Images that his office had extended invitation to all forums of Sopore town and Zaingair area. “It was not possible to allow everyone to enter the meeting hall due to security reasons.”
“Those of whom who could not register their grievances at the Public outreach programme can approach my office so that I could forward their grievances to the concerned authorities,” Lily added.
