Amid differences with the Raj Bhavan over transfer of state officials, ruling alliance on Friday stressed the need for all to respect people’s mandate, asserting their government’s efforts towards building a coordination with the LG administration should not be construed as their weakness.
The joint legislative party meeting of NC and its alliance partners was held at Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary’s residence in Srinagar today. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and was called to discuss the issue of transfer of 48 JKAS officials by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha without taking the CM and the government into confidence.
“We are repeatedly saying this and this is our final request that do not push us to the wall,” NC chief spokesperson and MLA Zadibal Tanvir Sadiq told reporters here after the meeting.
He said the meeting passed two resolutions: one condemning the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill by parliament, and the other calling for respecting people’s mandate.
“The elections in Jammu and Kashmir were praised by the top leadership of this country for enthusiastic voting. And, now if anyone stands in a denial mode or tries to undermine it, is showing disrespect to the people’s mandate,” Tanvir said.
He said the ruling alliance is of a firm opinion that the mandate of the people needs to be respected and “our coordination, whether it is with Delhi or with the LG administration, is only aimed at solving the problems of the people”.
“Our coordination or our silence should not be taken as our weakness,” he said.
There have been differences between the Omar government and the Raj Bhavan over several administrative issues, but Sinha’s Tuesday order to transfer and post 48 Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officers escalated the disquiet.
Expressing his strong disapproval of the transfer order, CM Omar Abdullah wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, LG Sinha and the state’s chief secretary, asserting these orders were issued without any “lawful authority” and undermine the authority of the elected government.
According to sources, Omar claimed that the transfer of JKAS officers to cadre posts falls squarely within the elected government’s purview.
The meeting also assumes significance in view of the scheduled three-day visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
“The meeting held a threadbare discussion on various issues and passed two important resolutions – one condemning the passing of the Waqf (Amendment) bill (in both houses of parliament), which we consider anti-minority,” Tanvir Sadiq said.
He said the National Conference-led government wants a cordial relation with New Delhi and the Raj Bhavan here, but it should not be considered as “our weakness”.
“We want to run this government with love and respect and work smoothly. It should not be construed as our weakness. We are repeatedly saying this, and this is our final request that do not push us to the wall. We want coordination among the centre, LG government and our government. Do not consider our silence as weakness,” he said.
Nizamuddin Bhat of Congress said the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the prevailing political situation and the Constitutional and administrative affairs.
“Both long term and short term issues of immediate consideration came up for discussion during the meeting… everyone should understand that all the MLAs in the alliance are fully behind the leader of the house – Omar Abdullah,” he said.
Bhat said the party’s Pradesh president Tariq Hamid Karra and legislature party leader G A Mir could not attend the meeting due to another important meeting of the party in Delhi. “I was given mandate to accompany other three MLAs in the meeting,” he said.
Bhat said there was unanimity that all the issues will be resolved with New Delhi and the Raj Bhavan.
The Omar government regards the LG’s move as a violation of the legal and administrative framework under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act.