Jammu, Jan 28 (IANS) Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Thursday voiced concern over Jammu and Kashmir being listed as among the most corrupt states in the country and asked officials to ensure that the state does not get the ignominy of being named the most corrupt.
He asked officers of the State Vigilance Commission, the anti-graft agency in the state, not to allow that day to appear in Jammu and Kashmir’s calendar.

Omar Abdullah, who during his role as president of the then opposition National Conference had criticized the Peoples Democratic Party-Congress rule for its failure to check corruption in the state.

Transparency International listed the state as number two among the most corrupt states, and Abdullah was equally ruthless in denouncing this tag at a conference of vigilance officers in Jammu.

“The fact of the matter is that Jammu and Kashmir has been listed as number two among the most corrupt 22 states in India and I am afraid that if this trend continues that day is not far off when J&K would be on the top of the list.”

“That is not acceptable to me at all,” the chief minister said in a stern tone.

Omar chose the occasion of the Vigilance Officers’ Conference to give vent to his feelings, as reports continue to pour in of corrupt practices of officers and some ministers.

As president of the ruling National Conference and in his role as the main opposition voice, he had been severely critical of the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Ghulam Nabi Azad governments for allowing corruption to peak.

Issuing a wake-up call to vigilance officers, the chief minister said firmly Thursday that corruption needs to be checked effectively and the Vigilance Commission needed to gear itself to the task.