Mehbooba’s adviser Amitabh Mattoo quits

Amir Karim Tantray

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Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 23

In a big setback to Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister’s adviser Amitabh Mattoo has resigned from his post and will be moving back to Australia.

According to sources, Mattoo was upset with the treatment being meted out to him as he was seen only as a Kashmiri Pandit face by the people close to the Chief Minister.

“He was not happy what was happening inside the CM’s secretariat as he was given work related to Kashmiri Pandit community only. His potential was not being used for policy-making and improving the delivery system of the government as he had sacrificed a lot to be back in the state and work for the betterment of the people,” said the sources.

Mattoo will be heading to Australia and stay there with his family.

Mattoo, an expert on international relations, was first appointed as adviser to then Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed on August 21, 2015, with a Cabinet status. When Mehbooba took over as the CM after her father’s death, Mattoo was again appointed as adviser to the CM on April 27 this year. He even formally joined the PDP on March 3 this year when Mehbooba had kick-started a membership drive for the party in Jammu.

A close confidant of Mufti, Mattoo even played a big role in bringing together the PDP and BJP to form the coalition government in the state after the 2014 Assembly elections. He was also an important Track-II diplomacy member and participated in many conferences, including Pugwash meet in Pakistan.

The sources said Mattoo had a high regard for Mehbooba but some people did not him want to take more responsibility in the functioning of the CM office and interfere in policy-making. “Mattoo stayed away from his family, which is in Australia. For the past three months, his health was also not good but despite that he stayed back in the Valley and tried to work for the state,” the sources said.

“He didn’t want to be seen through the prism of the Kashmiri Pandit community. He wanted to utilise his experience gathered during his tenure in Australia and at different posts held throughout his life. But when he found that his is being marginalised and his space has shrunk, he decided to resign,” the sources added.