Statehood row: Deputy CM says L-G should stick to constitutional role

A day after Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah exchanged remarks over the delay in restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Saturday urged the L-G to refrain from making political statements.

“Lieutenant Governor Sinha is a senior person and has also served as a Union Minister. I would request him not to confuse the people of J&K by giving such statements. He knows our condition and how we have not been given a level playing field,” Choudhary told reporters after laying the foundation stone for the widening of Boulevard Road in Srinagar.

“The post that you (L-G) occupy is a constitutional one, not a political position. Whatever statements come from the L-G should not be political but should reflect justice,” he added.

The Deputy CM also complained about the alleged lack of coordination between civil officers and elected representatives. “When the Chief Minister attends a function, we don’t see the DC, Divisional Commissioner, IG, or SSP present there. So tell me, what powers do we actually have? If officers don’t even extend courtesy, how can the L-G claim that a free hand has been given to us? All powers remain with the L-G as IAS and IPS officers are under his control,” Choudhary said.

Meanwhile, during the event Chief Minister Omar Abdullah raised questions over alleged irregularities in the utilisation of funds meant for flood protection and rehabilitation after the 2014 Srinagar floods.

“Don’t we have the right to protect Srinagar from another deluge? What efforts were made after 2014 to prevent floods? Where did the money go for the dredging of the Jhelum? The dredging was done during the PDP-BJP government. Who was the minister then, and whose responsibility was it?” Omar asked.

He continued, “Today they point fingers at my Deputy CM, but he has already asked to open the files and review what happened during the earlier regime. Where are the funds for the flood channels, dredging, and the Wular project? We want to know how Srinagar was flooded after just two days of rain. In 2014, it took six days of continuous rain to cause flooding. This time, we were saved only by the Almighty.”

The Chief Minister also defended his decision to reinstate the Darbar Move, calling it a step toward ending “regional injustice.”

“Despite not winning a single seat from Jammu city, I decided to end the injustice by restarting the Darbar Move for Jammu’s benefit. We never indulge in discrimination based on religion or caste. What was the need to stop the Darbar Move? It was not a legacy of Sheikh Abdullah or Farooq Abdullah — it existed even before 1947,” Omar said.