M A I N   N E W S

J&K minister Zargar quits
Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 11
The Agriculture Minister, Mr Abdul Aziz Zargar, today announced his resignation following allegations that the plan to attack the Akshardham temple in Gujarat was finalised by terrorists at his house in south Kashmir.

Mr Zargar announced at a public meeting at Anantnag that he was sending his resignation to the Chief Minister. It was for the Chief Minister to accept or reject his resignation, he said.

He said he was pained that certain opposition parties had tried to exploit the statement of an arrested militant of the Lashkar-e-Toiba about the plan having been finalised at his house. He denied that he was ever connected with such elements.

Later, while talking to this correspondent, Mr Zargar said his conscience was clear and he was committed to secularism. He was among the signatories who founded the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, he added.

SRINAGAR: an official spokesman said here on Thursday that the minister had claimed to have been made a victim of a sinister campaign to tarnish his image and lowering his prestige in the public eye. Mr Zargar had said the campaign against him seemed politically motivated even as he had refuted the allegation and the police had denied any link between him and militants.

The minister said in the light of the ongoing campaign against him, he had decided to resign. He did not want to embarrass the coalition government, he said, adding that the decision was conscious one. Mr Zargar, a senior Congress leader, represents the Noorabad constituency.

Reacting to the media reports, the minister said he had migrated from his native village of Manzgam, located in the forest area, immediately after the eruption of militancy in the valley. He said the reason for his migration was obvious. He said he was not aware who had visited his native house and when.

Even during electioneering, he said, he had never visited his native house and had conducted his election campaign from Kulgam. He said since he was not living at the house for the past 13 years, it was mischievous to link him with the militants who were supposed to have visited his native village.