Mufti Muhammad Sayeed-led PDP-BJP coalition Government would begin functioning from summer capital Srinagar on Tuesday after biennial shifting of offices from Jammu. The offices had shifted during the Governor’s rule on October last shortly after destructive floods that left the Srinagar city and many towns and villages along the Jhelum River devastated.
Police have been asked to remain vigilant on the re-opening of Civil Secretariat and traffic plan has been revised to ensure smooth flow of official and private vehicles. The biggest predicament of the coalition is the potholed roads, which remained largely unattended due to bad weather and cash-crunch in treasuries.
Sayeed will be accorded Guard of Honour in the premises of Civil Secretariat before formally kicking off the functioning of the Government from Srinagar for next six months. The biennial shifting of offices, known as Durbar Move, is the legacy of feudal Dogra dynasty that ruled the Muslim majority State between 1846 and 1947. The practice is a huge burden on the State exchequer but, continues in the backdrop of ensuring regional parity in governance.
The durbar had been closed in Jammu on April 24. Separatists were calling for shutdown on the re-opening of offices and militants were trying to show their presence by exploding grenades but, over the past few years such incidents have not occurred. The separatists have not called for shutdown this year though a group of traders have announced to shut shops in protest against Government’s alleged failure to mitigate the sufferings of flood-affected traders.
The Opposition Congress has also announced to march towards Civil Secretariat in protest against the “anti-people” policies of the coalition. The JKPCC chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir will lead protesters from Congress headquarters on Maulana Azad Road. Mir said that it was the darkest day in history of Jammu & Kashmir when a communal party (BJP) is arriving in Srinagar to rule from Srinagar.
“This is perhaps the first day in the history of Kashmir that the day will be recorded in historical texts with the dark ink. It is a black day for the people of Kashmir and we appeal them to register their protests against the marching of the communal elements in the sacred land,” Mir was quoted as saying by a local news agency. “Mufti is coming along the communal parties like VHP, Bajrang Dal and RSS to Kashmir and this must be halted”, he said.
Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Javed Gilani said that security arrangements have been put in place for the smooth functioning of the Secretariat. “Security has been stepped up with additional deployment of forces in and around the Secretariat. Nobody will be allowed to disrupt the opening of the Secretariat,” he said and added that prohibitory orders have been imposed around Secretariat.