The friction between the elected government of Jammu and Kashmir and the Raj Bhavan appears to have come out in the open. Taking on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in what appears to be the first direct confrontation since his government was elected last year, senior National Conference leader and Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary accused him of “running a proxy government” in Jammu and Kashmir.
Without taking names, Choudhary said if someone thinks that he could “crush the mandate of the people” he won’t be allowed because “the government is not scared and is ready to fight for the people”.
This is the first direct attack on L-G Sinha by the National Conference government. While Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has so far been treading cautiously, Choudhary’s tirade appears to have brought to the fore the friction between the elected government and the Raj Bhavan.
While the transfer of officers has been a bone of contention between Raj Bhawan and the elected government, it is not clear what was the immediate trigger for Choudhary’s tirade against L-G Sinha.
“He should understand that he is playing with the Constitution of India,” Choudhary said.
Choudhary then accused the BJP of running a “proxy government” through L-G Sinha and demanded the return of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
The government, Choudhary said, would take to the streets if needed.
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“(If) someone thinks that he will be able to crush the mandate of the people chosen in democracy, he will not be able to do it. What harm will they do to us — those protected by God and the people, who have voted for us,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.
“Do not think that we will get scared… We are not ones to get scared. We are ones to fight,” Choudhary said.
It had been hoped that the Lt Governor would accept the people’s mandate, Choudhary said.
“But it seems that some things are not getting right and when such an action happens, be it a transfer or anything else, then don’t celebrate it as some sort of bravery. He should think that he is crushing the democracy of India,” the NC leader said.
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He went on to say that the NC was silent “because of their leader” Omar Abdullah.
