Sunday, Nov 03, 2002
Sunday, Nov 03, 2002 |
| Front Page | ||
|
News:
Front Page |
National |
Southern States |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Front Page
By Shujaat Bukhari
Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, the State party chief, Ghulam Nabi Azad, and the People's Democratic Party vice-chairperson, Mehbooba Mufti, at the swearing-in ceremony of the Mufti in Srinagar on Saturday as the National Anthem is played. — AFP
The swearing-in ceremony followed an unsuccessful attack by militants on the residence of Mr. Sayeed. Wearing a cream coloured `bandh gala' suit, Mr. Sayeed (66) was administered the oath of office and secrecy by the Governor, Girish Chandra Saxena, at the highly-guarded Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre. The Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Manmohan Singh, the National Conference president, Omar Abdullah, the Union Minister of State for Defence, Chaman Lal Gupta, the Pradesh Congress president, Ghulam Nabi Azad, his wife, Shameem Azad, the senior Congress leaders, Ambika Soni, Saifuddin Soz and Wasim Ahmed, the Chairman of the State Legislative Council, Abdur Rasheed Dar, and the former NC Ministers, Mohiuddin Shah and Abdul Qayoom, attended the ceremony. The Congress members, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed and Moola Ram, the PDP members, Muzaffar Hussain Beig and Ghulam Hassan Mir, and the Panthers Party leader, Harsh Dev Singh, were sworn-in as Cabinet Ministers, while Rigzin Jora of the Ladakh Union Territory Front and Haji Nissar Ali from Kargil were inducted as Ministers of State. All the nine, including the Mufti, took their oath in English and not in Urdu, the official language of the State. The 15-day Governor's rule imposed in the wake of the uncertainty over government formation has come to an end. Mr. Saxena had taken over charge after the former Chief Minister and NC leader, Farooq Abdullah, refused to continue as the caretaker Chief Minister. The NC, with 28 seats, had emerged as the single largest party in the Assembly, consisting of 87 members. Representation has been given to all the three regions and communities, except Pandits and Sikhs, in the Council of Ministers, which is likely to be expanded in two weeks. The Cabinet will meet here tomorrow and fly out to Jammu on Monday, where the offices are re-opening on November 5 as part of the annual "darbar move" practice. The portfolios of Ministers will be announced tomorrow.
No softness towards militants: Sonia
Talking to presspersons, Ms. Gandhi said she was satisfied with the composition of the Ministry and the representation given to her party. "It is a beginning and the Cabinet will be expanded later. Mufti Saheb is a very seasoned and responsible person." She also dismissed apprehension that the coalition Government would be "soft" towards militants, terming as "incorrect" concerns expressed in certain quarters. The steps taken by the Government regarding the merging of the SOG with the local police and the release of political prisoners would by no means affect the situation in the State, Ms. Gandhi said. Talking to The Hindu, the Mufti said, "This day is historical for me as also the State. We have a big challenge ahead and have to deliver and everybody in the Government have this realisation. We will have to work jointly to face this challenge." He later visited the Hazratbal shrine.
Printer friendly
page
News:
Front Page |
National |
Southern States |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
|
|
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | Business Line | The Sportstar | Frontline | Home |
Copyright © 2002, The
Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu
|
