SRINAGAR, JUNE 17: The Jammu and Kashmir
Legislative Assembly today paid rich tributes to the former J&K Governor,
parliamentarian and legislators, who passed away during recent months. Speaker,
Kavinder Gupta moved the Obituary Reference in the House.
While paying homage to former Governor, Girish Chander Saxena, the
Speaker said that he contributed tremendously in bringing normalcy in the
State. When he took over as Governor of Jammu and Kashmir in 1990, the militancy was at peak in Kashmir Valley, and he played
crucial role in tackling the situation, he said. During his first stint he
remained Governor of the State from 1990 and 1993. Mr. Saxena was again brought
to the State in the year 1998 as Governor. The main areas of his specialization
were the International Affairs, National Security and Intelligence. He was
awarded with the civilian honor of “Padma Bushan” in
acknowledgement of services he rendered for the cause of nation in 2005.
The Speaker said that late Mr Saxena will always be remembered as an
able administrator, who handled the extreme situations patiently and always had
a humane approach to every problem.
Recalling the rich contribution of late Ali Mohammad Naik for the
development of the State, the Speaker said that till his last breath he served
to the people of the State in general and his constituency in particular. Mr.
Naik was first time elected to J&K Legislative Assembly from Tral
Constituency as an independent candidate in 1967 and again re-elected as such
in the year 1972. He was the first opposition member unanimously elected as
Deputy Speaker in August 1972. He later joined Congress, but left it soon to
contest 1977 general election as an independent candidate. He was re-elected to
Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly in 1983 and was inducted in Council of
Ministers headed by Mr. G.M. Shah on 2nd of July,
1984, as Education Minister. Late Mr. Ali Mohammed Naik re-joined National
Conference post 1990 and was again elected from Tral Constituency in Oct, 1996
on the Party Ticket. He was unanimously elected Speaker J&K
Legislative Assembly on 18th of October,1996, but resigned as
Speaker on 16th of June 1998 and was subsequently
inducted into the Council of Ministers headed by Dr. Farooq Abdullah as Revenue
Minister. The late leader also contested the Lok-Sabha election from Anantnag
Parliamentary Constituency on NC ticket in the year 1999 and after winning the
Lok-Sabha seat he resigned from the Council of Ministers.
For his meritorious services, he was conferred with the Indira Gandhi
Priyadarshani Award in the year 1998 and the State Award for life time
achievement in the year 2007. The selfless services rendered by the late leader
for the betterment and the welfare of the people of the State will be
remembered by the generations to come, said the Speaker.
The Speaker described late Smt. Shanti Devi as leader of poor masses and
women folk, who raised their issues in the Assembly vociferously. The services
rendered by her for the welfare of the socially downtrodden will always be
remembered. She was a known social and political activist who
keenly desired to work for upliftment of women folk,
depressed and neglected class of the society and has contributed a lot for the
rehabilitation of the destitute orphans, widows and physically disabled persons
of the society . She has also served as member of Social Advisory board and one
of the Directors on Board of Directors of Super Bazar, Jammu. She was first
time nominated as Member J&K Legislative Assembly in the year 2002.
Paying glowing tributes to Syed Nizam-ud-Din Shah, the Speaker said that
he was an able politician and a known literary figure of his times. He was
elected Member J&K Legislative Assembly in the year 1962 as a National
Conference Candidate and also held the post of Deputy Leader National
Conference Legislature Party. Besides holding important political posts, he
also worked as Member of Debt Cancellation Board, Kulgam in 1951-52, Secretary,
Anjuman-e-Bazam-e-Adab, Ananatnag, Member, Students Union Muslim University,
Aligarh. He was elected Member, Rajya Sabha in April 1974. He was also the
editor, printer and publisher of Nawa-i-Kashmir, the official organ of the
National Conference.
The
services rendered by the late leader for the upliftment and welfare of the
people in general and his constituency in particular will always be remembered
by the future generations, said the Speaker.
Remembering the great contribution of Late Sardar Rangil Singh in the
society, the Speaker maintained that he was one amongst the towering leaders of
the State known for his political wisdom and far sightedness, who dedicated his
whole life for the cause of the people. The selfless services rendered by the
late leader in political, social, judicial and Sports fields for the wellbeing
and development of the people of the State irrespective of their cast creed and
colour will always be remembered by the people of the State.
The late leader was a highly qualified of his time; he joined State
judicial services in the year 1955 and worked in the capacity of Munsiff
Magistrate, Special Munsiff Magistrate, Sub-Registrar from 1962 -1966 both at
Srinagar and Jammu. After resigning from judiciary, he joined National
Conference and held various important positions in the Organization. He later
joined Indian National Congress after he resigned from the National Conference
in the year 1969. He was elected as Member Legislative Assembly from R.S.Pura
Constituency twice in the year 1972 and 1987 and was also elected as such from
Jammu West Constituency in the year 1984 on Congress ticket. He was
inducted into the Cabinet and assigned the portfolios of Revenue, Education,
Law and Health & Medical Education.
The late leader joined PDP at the time of its inception in 1999 and was
presently the Senior Vice President of the party. Apart from
serving the Judiciary in different capacities and holding important political
positions, late S. Rangil Singh was also President of the J&K
Olympic Association, Transport Operators Union, Association of Displaced
Persons of 1947 and organized a State wide movement for their permanent
rehabilitation and succeeded in having proprietary rights conferred upon them.
Besides, he was also the Member, J&K Sikh Gurdwara Prabhandak Board, nominated
Member of District Adhoc Committee Jammu and Member General Council of the
Committee of Arts and Languages and Regional Development Board.
While paying rich tributes to late Rishi Kumar Koushal, the Speaker said
that he was one of the towering personalities of Jammu, who fought for the
cause of his people throughout his life. Prior to his political career, he
served the RSS for about 8 years and held prestigious positions in the
organization. He was General Secretary of the organization from 1958 to
1967, Vice-President Pradesh Jan Sangh in 1967-69, Pradesh Secretary, Jan Sangh
from 1969-72 and Secretary and Whip of the Jan Sangh Legislature Group 1962-67.
Besides, he was the President Beopar Mandal Reasi in 1951-53, elected Chairman
T.A.C Reasi from 1954-61. He was closely associated with provincial and local
Sanatan Dharam Sabha activities and was a staunch supporter of “Bhartiyata” preached by
Swami Vivekananda and Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukerjee. He was also imprisoned six
times for two and half years in connection with the Praja Parishad and Jan
Sangh movement in the State.
Late Rishi Kumar Koushal was first time elected to the Legislative
Assembly in the year 1962 and re-elected consecutively as such in 1972 and 1977
from Reasi Constituency as a BJP Candidate. The veteran leader had a
distinguished political career and was known as the true leader of masses. He
not only worked for his Constituency but was known for extending his helping
hand besides, using his good offices for the redressal of grievances faced by common man.
He always adopted human approach rather than political considerations while
working for the people. He also worked in rehabilitating and providing relief
to the up-rooted persons of Rajouri and Reasi Tehsils. The late leader led the
agitation to restore the District status of Reasi in nineties and vowed that
he will not shave his beard till the fulfillment of the demand. The services rendered by the late leader for the cause of his
Constituency in particular and State in general will always be remembered by
the generation to come, said the Speaker.
Mr. Mohammad Shafi, Mr. G.M. Saroori, Mr. M.Y. Tarigami, Hakeem Mohammad
Yaseen, Mr. Sat Paul Sharma, Mr. Bashir Ahmed Dar, Er. Abdul Rashid Sheikh also
paid rich tributes to the late leaders and recalled their valuable contribution
to the society.
Later, the House adopted the Obituary Reference and observed 2-minute
silence as a mark of respect to the departed souls.
