Respected and dear ones, namaskar maharah,
The several years old feud between AIKS and AIKS Trust on the issue of control and operations of the Trust is a chronic ailment that has defied a solution. Till now the tussle, seemingly, was in wraps, but lately ,it is now in the open and has become uglier. The recent direct accusations from GKPD on the conduct of AIKS President in the matters that concern AIKS Trust have given shudders to the community. While it may take some time for the truth in the matter to come out, one thing has always been clear, is that, for several years now AIKS has been scheming to gobble AIKS Trust. Perhaps, at the root are the rich cash reserves of the Trust that AIKS wants to garner to supplement it's own empty coffers.
Perhaps also, AIKS is taking umbrage under the misleading nomenclature of the prefix 'AIKS' in the name of the Trust. Notwithstanding the nomenclature, it must be understood that AIKS and AIKS Trust are two separate entities with independent organisational structure, constitutions, aims and objectives with no interdependence on each other.
The conduct of AIKS appears to be always big brotherly in as far as AIKS Trust is considered because the voices, proposals and resolutions and like always come from AIKS. The Trust has never shown any interest or inclination to such moves. Not only has AIKS been eying to gobble up cash rich Trust but for several years now it has also been scheming to take control and charge of the community's fixed asset in the form of Shakti Nagar, Delhi plot of land which too originally belongs to another community set up.
Evidently, AIKS appears to be hob-knobing in a vicarious manner to grab rich community setups to fill its empty coffers and build its infrastructural assets in an unfair manner.
Perhaps, the real strength of AIKS to interfere and control the affairs of the Trust comes from the inherent flaw in the Constitution of the Trust which provides for an automatic (unelected) induction of the President of AIKS into the governing body of the Trust. This situation allows the President of AIKS to have a dual say in the matters of the Trust who in recent years have also tried to become President in the Trust also. This conflict of interest in operational authority of AIKS and the Trust viz-a viz the role of the President AIKS is the proverbial thorn in the flesh!
Given that AIKS and AIKS Trust are two separate independent organisations, the easiest way to correct this anomaly of the unelected and automatic nomination of the President AIKS into the Governing body of AIKS Trust that apparently is causing so much trouble and great strain between the two, must be rectified by a Trust resolution to annul this provision that will, once for all, remove the ambiguity of the role of AIKS in the matters of Trust. In turn, it shall also help the Trust in getting rid of its inertia to fulfill its mandate entrusted to it by the community.
In this regard, given the current pandemic situation, the members of the Trust can call for an urgent Zoom meeting and pass the necessary resolution.
Enough is enough. Let the community not wait for the proverbial fight of the lions when the two fight for too long, it is often the jackal that takes away the prey. Otherwise, there is real threat looming when well wishers of the community may take the matter for a legal settlement.
In that case, both AIKS and AIKS Trust can face embargo on their activities and assets and that may be an unwelcome fait accompli for our two important community organisations. However, all this is avoidable, if only the Trust asserts to do its due duty towards the community.
sincerely towards the community where in am born and carries its identity,
(The writer is a Jammu based environmentalist and a regular contributor to this Website .)
(Feedback at: blparimoo@gmail.com)
By- Bushan Parimoo