Date:- 10 Mar 2018
JAMMU: Cinematographer-turned- politician, Tassaduq Hussain Mufti, who is the younger brother of chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, on Thursday took oath as a minister in her cabinet.
Tassaduq was allotted the tourism ministry, a port folio earlier held by the chief minister. He was nominated to the legislative council on December 22 by the governor, following a vacancy created by the resignation of Yuvraj Vikramaditya Singh.
Javed Mustafa Mir, who was the revenue minister in the previous PDP-BJP coalition government, headed by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed in 2015, also took oath. He was dropped when Mehbooba took over the reins in April 2016. Mir was given the portfolios of disaster management, relief and rehabilitation, and reconstruction and floriculture.
With their induction, the state government now has 25 ministers, including the chief minister. PDP has 14ministers and BJP 11.
According to an order issued by the CM later, the state's revenue and parliamentary affairs minister Abdul Rehman Veeri was given the additional portfolio of Haj and auqaf, while minister of state for housing and urban development, social welfare, health and medical education Asiea Naqash was given additional charge of power development, industries and commerce.
Minister of state for forests, environment, animal sheep husbandry, fisheries and cooperatives, Mir Zahoor Ahmad, was given additional charge of public health engineering, irrigation and flood control. Under the provisions of the J&K constitution, the strength of council of ministers should not exceed 20% of the total the strength of the state legislature — 89 MLAs and 36 MLCs.
SHOWMAN
An outstanding cinematographer, noted for his work in films such as Omkara and Kaminey, Tassaduq, on December 15, resigned from the post of coordinator in the J&K chief minister's grievance cell. An American Film Institute graduate, he formally joined PDP in Srinagar on January 7,2017, his father Mufti Mohammed Sayeed's first death anniversary.
Tassaduq's baptism into politics was believed to have been promoted by family persuasion to help his sister with party affairs.
HIGH HOPES
Soon after the swearing-in-ceremony, Tassaduq, said that he would strive to fulfil the dreams of his late father's. He said that normalcy has started returning to Kashmir.
"I will try to fulfill the dreams of my father," said the younger Mufti and added that time will tell about his contribution in restoring peace in the state. He further said that his actions will speak in the coming days and added that the youth of Kashmir is not 'directionless'.
SLIP OF TONGUE
Tassaduq Hussain Mufti had a major slip of tongue during his swearing-in ceremony at the Raj Bhawan lawn. While taking the oath administered by governor NN Vohra, he mispronounced "God" as "dog". Instead of saying "In the name of God" he said "In the name of Dog", but was quick to rectify it.
Courtesy: Hindustan Times, 29, December, 2017