Kashmir education minister resigns

Jammu and Kashmir Education Minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed Friday quit after police indicted him for the use of unfair means by his son in the Class 10 Board examination in 2009.

Peerzada Sayed, a pillar of the Congress in Kashmir, however sent his resignation to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, saying he had no faith in Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, family and party sources said.

A veteran politician, Peerzada has been winning elections from Kokkernag in south Kashmir.

This is the second time in four years that Peerzada has resigned.

In 2008, he stepped down following charges that he demanded a bribe from a legislator.

This time, it was alleged that his son used unfair means in the Class 10 examination in 2009. The chief minister had ordered a probe.

The probe by the Crime Branch of the state police indicted the minister for allegedly helping his son. The report was submitted Wednesday.

Since Peerzada belongs to Congress, the chief minister was waiting for the green signal for action against the education minister.

In 2010, the chief minister sacked public works minister G.M. Saroori when it was discovered that his daughter had allegedly used an impersonator in an entrance test to secure admission into a medical college.