Speaker, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Kavinder Gupta moved the Obituary Reference in the House today to pay tributes to former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Lt. General (Retd) S. K. Sinha, former Union Minister, Mohammad Shafi Qureshi, former Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma, former Member Parliament, Mohammad Shafi Bhat, former Minister, Ghulam-ud-Din Shah, former Legislators Prithvi Chand, Aziz Mohammad Qari, and MLC S Dharambir Singh Oberio, who passed away in recent past.Paying rich tributes to Lt General (Retd) S K Sinha, the Speaker said that he was born in 1926 at Gaya, Bihar and breathed his last on 17th of November 2016 at Army Research and Referral Hospital, New Delhi. Late General Sinha graduated from Patna University in 1943 at the young age of seventeen and thereafter joined army. He saw combat services during 2nd World war in Burma and Indonesia and after independence came to Srinagar when Kaballies raided Kashmir. He secured top position at the Defence Service Staff College in India in 1953 and again at the Joint Services Staff College in U.K in 1962. He held all levels of active command in the Army from a platoon to a field army. He commanded a battalion in Ladakh, a Brigade in Manipur, a mountain division in Assam, an infantry division in Jammu, a corpus in Punjab, a field Army in the western thereafter besides held key staff and instructional appointments. He was made honorary ADC to the president of India and also president of the Gorkha Brigade.
He was awarded the Parm Vishist Sewa medal in recognition of his meritorious military services in the year 1973.Late General Sinha was appointed 11th Governor of Jammu and Kashmir on 4th June, 2003. Besides being one of the finest military mind, he was a prolific writer having written a series of articles in National Newspapers and has authored five books including one on J&K operation of 1947-48 and his autobiography (A Solider Recalls), the Speaker told. The services rendered by late general will always be remembered by the nation.Paying tributes to Mohammad Shafi Qureshi, the Speaker said that late leader was born on 24th of November 1929 and breathed his last on 28-08-2016 at Delhi. Late Qureshi was founder Member of Indian National Congress in the J&K State and served in various capacities in his long political career. He remained Member of Rajya Sabha from 1965 to 1967, elected to 4th and 5thLok Sabha in 1967-1970 and 1970-1977 consecutively from Anantnag Parliamentary Constituency.He remained Union Minister in different ministries between 1966-1969, from February 1969 to 1971, from 1971 to 1974 from 1974-1977 and in 1979. During his tenure as Railway Minister, the Pathankot Jammu rail service was started besides survey of Jammu-Baramulla rail service was conducted which was his great to the State, said the Speaker.Late Qureshi also served as Governor of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh in 1991 and 1993 respectively.
Apart from holding key political positions, he held constitutional and administrative positions including, Secretary of Faculty of Law at Aligarh Muslim University and Chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities from 2007 with the rank of a Cabinet Minister. He was known for his political wisdom and secular character and will always be remembered for the services rendered for the overall development of country in general and Jammu and Kashmir in particular, said the Speaker.While paying rich tributes to Mangat Ram Sharma, the Speaker said that he was born on 17th November, 1932 in village Jhakbad Bhigvan of district Kathua and breathed his last on 3rd of November, 2016 at Jammu. He was a noted social activist and got involved in social and political activities in early 50’s. As a member of Debt Reconciliation Board in District Kathua he provided relief to a number of loanees in settlement of their loan cases with the private financiers in the year 1950. He also took an active part as a member of Tehsil Council Kathua in 1951 for the implementation of Big Landed Estates Abolition Act and the transfer of land to the tiller.
The Speaker said that the late leader after joining Indian National Congress was first time elected as member J&K Legislative Council in the year 1961 and was re-elected again as such in 1968. He was elected consecutively as member of the J&K Legislative Assembly in 1972, 1977 and 1983 from Basohli Constituency and in 1987 and 2002 from Jammu west Constituency. He was elected leader of Congress Legislature Party in 1987, was Minister of State for Transport, Relief and Rehabilitation from 1975 to 77 and Minister for Food and Supplies in 1989. He remained as General Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee from 1970-75.The late leader was elected as Speaker, J&K Legislative Assembly in the year 1984 and remained as such till 1987. He was also elected as Member Lok Sabha in the year 1996 from Jammu-Poonch Parliamentary Constituency and was inducted in the Cabinet as Deputy Chief Minister in October 2002 and also held the post of Senior Vice President of Pradesh Congress Committee.
"Late Mangat Ram Sharma will always be remembered as a “popular leader of the masses” who had remarkable social and political contributions at his credit. He worked throughout his life tirelessly for the upliftment of the weaker and downtrodden sections of the society. He will always be remembered by the people of the State for his selfless services", Mr. Gupta told.Paying tributes to Mr. Mohammad Shafi Bhat, the Speaker said that he was born on April 14th, 1945 at Srinagar and breathed his last on 12th October, 2016 in Srinagar. The Late leader was involved in social and political activities from his early age and organized Student Association during his studentship. He was Joint Secretary of J&K Bar Association and was subsequently elected its President in the year 1980. He was also President of State Central Labour Union and held the Office for 5 years.
After joining National Conference, he was elected as unopposed member Lok Sabha in the year 1989. He was first time elected as Member J&K Legislative Assembly in the year 1996 on National Conference ticket. He resigned from National Conference and joined Indian National Congress in September 2002 and was elected as member J&K Legislative Assembly in 2002 on Indian National Congress ticket and was subsequently appointed as Chairman, J&K Agro Industries Development Corporation with the status of a Cabinet Minister in October, 2003. The late leader throughout his political career worked for the betterment and welfare of the people of the state in general and of his constituency in particular. His contributions on political and social front will always be remembered by the generations to come.The Speaker also paid rich tributes to late Ghulam-ud-Din Shah, late Prithvi Chand, late Aziz Mohammad Qari and S Dharam Bir Singh Oberio and lauded their contribution for the socio-economic development of the State and self-less services to the people of their areas.The Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh also paid rich tributes to the late leaders and highlighted their contribution in the development of the State and services to the masses in different capacities. He specifically hailed the contribution of Pt. Mangat Ram Sharma and described him the leader of masses who was widely respected by people irrespective of region and class. His contribution will be remembered by the people of the State for a long time, said Dr. Singh Mohammad Shafi, Nawang Rigzin Jora, M Y Tarigami, Hakim Mohammad Yasin, Sat Sharma, Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, Er Abdul Rashid Sheikh, Bashir Ahmed Dar and Pawan Gupta also paid rich tributes to the late leaders and lauded their services.Later, the House observed 2-minute silence as a mark of respect to the departed souls