KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
In a major development regarding beef ban case, J&K government Monday shifted Advocate Additional General Vishal Sharma from Home department to “less sensitive department” of education for failing to defend government in court.
Sharma has been replaced by advocate Wasim Nargal, appointed as AAG by Law Department today. Nargal will be defending government in the court in cases related to Home and Revenue departments, said government sources.
Sources told KNS that Law Department has taken strong note of AAG Vishal Sharma’s “total failure” in defending government’s position in the High Court during the hearing on a petition seeking ban on sale and consumption of beef in the state. The court ruled in petitioner’s favour and ordered complete ban on sale and consumption of beef in the state.
Interestingly, the petitioner advocate Parimoksh Seth holds deputy advocate general’s post in state’s law department. The ban has attracted strong protests in Valley with people terming the decree as a direct interference in their “religious affairs and culinary practices.”
“He (Sharma) could not defend the case. He also didn’t inform the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir on time about court’s direction regarding the case. He has not even informed his seniors about the case,” said government sources, adding that had he informed the government at right time ‘may the case have been handled differently’.
Sources further said that it was because of AAG Sharma’s “incapability or unwillingness” to show promptness in informing government at the right time that he was shifted from home department to “less sensitive” education department.
AAG Vishal Sharma is son of Vishva Hindu Parishd’s state president advocate Leela Karan Sharma, who led the two-month agitation over Amarnath land row as the Convenor of Amarnath Yatra Sangarh Samiti in 2008.
Meanwhile, advocate Parimoksh Seth, who is DDG in law department, has not withdrawn his name from the petition which led court order ban on beef sale and consumption in the state. Sources said that Advocate Seth was to withdraw his name from the petition today but “he has informed law department that he will follow BJP high command’s orders in this regard.”
BJP’s in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir, Avinash Rai Khanna, meanwhile held a detailed meeting with party functionaries and ministers in Jammu to discuss the issue regarding court order on beef ban.
