Don't push us to the wall, Omar and allies tell LG over transfers

SRINAGAR: J&K’s governing National Conference (NC) and ally Congress on Friday passed a resolution slamming lieutenant-governor (LG) Manoj Sinha over alleged usurpation of powers through transfer of officers and warned the Centre-appointed appointed authority “not to push them to the wall”.

The ultimatum went out from a meeting in Srinagar called by chief minister Omar Abdullah and attended by MLAs of NC, Congress and two independents supporting the state govt. A separate resolution was passed at the meeting condemning the Waqf Act passed by Parliament.

Although the NC and its allies didn’t name Sinha, the LG offered a rare response on the claims. “With all responsibility I am saying I have not done anything beyond J&K Reorganisation Act passed by Parliament on Aug 5, 2019. I know my limits and I won’t overstep them,” Sinha said on the sidelines of an event in Jammu.

The bone of contention emerged on April 1 when Sinha ordered transfers of 48 Jammu Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officers while the CM and other members of his National Conference (NC) were away for Eid holidays.

A power-sharing structure between the elected govt and LG in place after the Aug 2019 abrogation of special status under Article 370 that turned J&K into a Union territory has worked in the past six months since NC took office. According to NC, LG has powers to transfer IAS officers, while the elected govt wields similar authority over JKAS cadre.

At Friday’s meeting, NC and its allies made it clear they would not brook any further “interference” and declared that similar moves in the future would be taken to “the floor of the assembly”.

NC legislator and spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq asserted that the Omar-led govt had been coordinating with LG. “This coordination should not be mistaken for weakness. We are here with our final appeal -- don’t push us to the wall. People of J&K gave a mandate through an election (result) in Oct 2024 and that must be respected. Anyone who fails to do so is insulting the people of J&K and their mandate,” Sadiq said. Congress legislator Nizamuddin Bhat backed Sadiq’s assertions and declared his party stood with NC and Omar on the issue.

Many NC leaders believe transfers of revenue officers, like SDMs and Tehsildars and projecting them as law-and-order officers, amount to asserting power over the entire bureaucracy. They say these revenue officials are assigned law and order duty on occasions but that doesn’t bring them under LG. Since J&K became a UT, LG handles the home department.

Omar’s rivals took potshots at Friday’s meeting, suggesting NC had already “surrendered” before the Centre and its authorities.

“People brought Omar to office to get prisoners released, provide a sense of security and employment to youth. Instead, his own department employees were terminated and he remained silent. Once they (NC) assumed power, they said they wouldn’t take a confrontational stance with the Centre. No one wants confrontation with Delhi but they should have talked on the issues instead of surrendering,” PDP chief and ex-CM Mehbooba Mufti said.

PDP MLA Waheed Parra echoed the views. “NC once appointed its own Sadri Riyasat (president) and PM in J&K. It is now fighting over revenue (officials’) transfers,” Parra said. Peoples Conference legislator Sajad Lone likened Omar’s party to an “unhappy worker who agrees to continue at existing wages”.