The Omar Abdullah-led Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday warned Delhi against pushing it to the wall and undermining its authority, baring the growing disquiet between lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha and the ruling National Conference-led alliance over the transfer of 48 middle-rung bureaucratic officers.
The alliance, however, fielded two mid-level leaders — NC chief spokesman Tanvir Sadiq and Congress’s Nizam ud din Bhat — to take on the Centre, suggesting a lack of resolve.
Sinha was quick to deny the charges and claimed he was acting responsibly.
Relations between the LG’s office and the chief minister hit a new low on April 1 after Sinha ordered the transfer of 48 middle-rung officers of Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Services.
Jammu and Kashmir has a hybrid model of governance, but many in the Union Territory believe that the elected government has no authority at all.
Friday’s warning by the ruling alliance came after a crucial meeting of their legislators chaired by Omar. The alliance leaders cautioned Delhi against mistaking their silence as weakness.
Sources said Omar had written to home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday, saying the LG’s order enjoyed no legal backing and was a violation of the Reorganisation Act. The LG’s strong defence of his action suggests that the Centre was unmoved.
The ruling alliance on Friday passed two significant resolutions — one emphasising the need to honour people’s mandate in Jammu and Kashmir and another declaring the
Waqf (Amendment) Bill as anti-minority.
NC chief spokesperson Sadiq told reporters that any disregard for the voters’ verdict would be an insult to the people of the Union Territory.
“Our cooperation and coordination with the government of India and the lieutenant governor should not be taken for granted. We are striving to run this government with love and responsibility. But let me make it clear — do not push us to the wall,” he said.
“While we remain committed to constructive coordination between the Centre, the LG administration and the elected government here, that should never be seen as a sign of weakness,” he added.
Congress MLA Bhat laid stress on a dialogue with the Centre and the Raj Bhavan on sensitive political matters, cautioning that some “moles” could be working to destabilise peace and political processes.
Bhat said the Jammu and Kashmir legislature remained the most credible and acceptable forum for resolving matters, second only to Parliament.
Sinha, in a video available on social media, said he wanted to make it “absolutely clear” that there was no overreach. “I am saying with responsibility that I have acted entirely within the domain defined by that Act (J&K Reorganisation Act passed by Parliament). I know my jurisdiction and I will never violate it.”
The LG said he would not do anything beyond the scope of the powers granted to him.
The Omar-led alliance faced allegations of cowardice from Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti. She said the chief minister had “already surrendered” instead of confronting or constructively engaging with the Centre and adopted silence on much bigger issues.
“People were terminated from his (Omar’s) department. He remained silent. Today, MLAs are gathering not to talk about jailed youths or unemployment, but for the transfer of patwaris (revenue officials). Is this why people voted for them?” she asked.
“No one asked you to fight with Delhi, but you’ve raised the white flag even before speaking up for your people,” she added.
The LG’s order involved bureaucrats, not patwaris.
