A political row has erupted in Jammu and Kashmir after BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Ali Khatana was accused of spending the bulk of his Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) funds in Uttar Pradesh instead of his home Union Territory.
Khatana, a senior BJP leader from J&K and a prominent Gujjar face of the party, was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in September 2022. Under the MPLADS scheme, each MP can recommend development works worth Rs 5 crore per year for the creation of community assets such as roads, drinking water facilities and educational infrastructure. The funds are released to district authorities for execution, but the selection of projects and districts is made by the MP.
According to official data, Khatana allocated Rs 14.7 crore under the scheme. Of the 176 works sanctioned by him, 144 projects — amounting to Rs 10.58 crore, or around 94 per cent of the total funds — were carried out in Uttar Pradesh. In comparison, only 32 works worth Rs 94 lakh were taken up in Jammu and Kashmir.
The spending pattern has drawn criticism from both the ruling National Conference (NC) and the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
National Conference spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq questioned the rationale behind nominating an MP from Jammu and Kashmir if most of the development funds were to be spent outside the region. “What is the purpose of nominating an MP from Jammu and Kashmir if 94 per cent of his development funds are spent in Uttar Pradesh? This exposes the harsh truth: J&K’s representation has been reduced to symbolism, while its people are denied their rightful share. Shameful and unacceptable. Our people deserve commitment, not BJP’s tokenism. Wake up Jammu!,” National Conference spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said in a post on X.
PDP youth president Aditya Gupta also targeted the BJP, alleging that the party had secured votes from Jammu and Kashmir while diverting development funds to Uttar Pradesh. He said the people of Jammu had been let down by their own elected representatives.
