'Darbar Move', the tradition of shifting the government to Jammu from Kashmir in winter, stopped by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha after the abrogation of Article 370, is being revived.
The decision has been hailed by the people of Jammu, especially the business community.
The restoration of the tradition was part of the National Conference’s election manifesto.
The business community and people in Jammu had resented the stoppage of the practice by Sinha as it impacted Jammu's economy.
The Darbar Move involved moving the secretariat and key offices to Jammu in view of the harsh winter in Kashmir.
Hundreds of employees from the Secretariat and other departments shift to Jammu along with their families, giving the Jammu economy a fillip.
In the last three decades, hundreds of people from Kashmir have built homes in Jammu to escape the frigid winter for six months.
Announcing the decision to restore the Darbar Move in Jammu, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the tradition was an important part of Jammu and Kashmir’s history and administrative culture.
“This practice was a symbol of unity between the two regions,” Omar said, saying that "it was stopped for reasons that hurt that shared legacy".
He added that the BJP often claimed they valued the history of this land, but blamed them for causing the most damage to this “great tradition".
The decision to restart the tradition was taken in a Cabinet meeting.
He said the Cabinet approved the decision to bring it back.
“The file was then sent to the Lieutenant Governor, who cleared it and returned it to me. I have now signed it,” he said.
“The order for resuming the full Darbar Move will be issued soon."
By reviving the tradition, Abdullah pointed out that the NC had honoured a promise made to the people in its election manifesto.
He said for years, Jammu was marginalised by its own representatives, and not by the NC.
“It is ironic that those who call us anti-Jammu did nothing for the region,” he said. |
