Don’t push us to the wall, J&K alliance warns Centre
Amid a major faceoff between the government and the Raj Bhavan over the transfer of 48 Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officers this week, the ruling alliance passed a resolution today warning Delhi “not to push them to the wall” even as Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha defended his action, saying that he was within his “domain”.
“I know my limits and will never cross them,” said the L-G.
On April 1, the J&K administration, acting on L-G Sinha’s orders, transferred 48 JKAS officers. The orders triggered the first major face-off between the government and the Raj Bhavan, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah flagging the matter with the Centre and also seeking an explanation from the Chief Secretary.
The transfer issue was discussed today at a legislative party meeting of the ruling National Conference and its alliance partners held in Srinagar. It was chaired by Omar and attended by NC president Farooq Abdullah.
During the meeting, the NC said two resolutions were passed, one regarding rejection of the “discriminatory” Waqf Amendment Bill-2025 and the other urging the Centre to respect the people’s mandate.
An MLA told The Tribune that the Chief Minister heard the views of the legislators present at the meeting.
Sources said during the meeting, the MLAs, in one voice, “expressed unhappiness” over the recent order. The MLAs said everyone wanted cordial relations with the L-G and the Centre, but if “anyone tries to undermine the authority of the elected government, it won’t be accepted and such moves will be fought”.
The Raj Bhavan, the sources said, ordered the transfers because the officers held “magisterial powers” linked to “public order”, which was the domain of the L-G.
On the other hand, the government denied it saying that the L-G only had the authority to transfer IAS officers as per the JK Reorganisation Act, 2019, and not JKAS officers.
Addressing the media after the meeting, the alliance partners said one of the two resolutions passed called for respecting the mandate of the people.
“Anyone not doing so is insulting the mandate. We have requested the Centre to respect the mandate of people,” NC MLA Tanvir Sadiq told reporters.
Congress MLA Nizamuddin Bhat said the resolutions were passed unanimously and “we stand behind the Chief Minister”.
With the Assembly session set to resume next week in Jammu, the issues are expected to be discussed in the House. The sources said the government was planning to bring resolutions over these issues.
MLA Bhat said, “The alliance will take a call in the Assembly…”
L-G Sinha, however, defended his action regarding the transfers saying that he had not gone beyond his domain.
“I want to make it clear that the State Reorganisation Act-2019 has been passed by Parliament. I am saying with great responsibility that I have not done anything outside of the Act. I am well within my domain,” he said, adding that “I know my limits and I will never cross those limits.”
J & K