From The Editor
Last week unprecedentedly, the first Lieutenant-Governor GC Murmu resigned and left for Delhi. As usual, before any official confirmation about his resignation and replacement at Raj Bhawan, the speculations were rife on social media websites. It was later in the evening the news got confirmed that Murmu is returning to Delhi before he could complete even one year in his office in Jammu and Kashmir as Lieutenant Governor.
A lot is being discussed and talked in the media about his early departure to the national capital. While former LG was immediately posted as CAG by the president of India, the 1985 batch Gujarat Cadre IAS officer had an eventful stint in Jammu and Kashmir. He had taken oath on October 31 last year after the erstwhile state was formally converted into two Union territories of Ladakh and Jammu Kashmir. He during his tenure approved and implemented many controversial acts including Domicile Law, the “Strategic Areas” to allow security forces to take over the land to be used for strategic and training purposes.
Similarly, Murmu also regulated another controversial act exempting security forces including BSF, army and the CRPF from seeking any clearance for securing the land in Jammu and Kashmir from the civil administration. It was during his tenure that most of the contracts of sand extraction and mining went to non-domiciles of Jammu and Kashmir. This has also triggered huge anger among the local populace.
Murmu, being the most trusted bureaucrat in the Narender Modi government extensively worked in Jammu and Kashmir and paved the way for the administrative reforms as per the wishes and desires of New Delhi. He did his job well and was supposed to be replaced since for long Jammu and Kashmir can’t be dealt through bureaucratic corridors.
Besides, the laws and acts passed during his tenure had also made him a tough administrator in Jammu Kashmir and may not have been reposing the public faith anymore. Given to his extensive administrative experience, it was unlikely to see him fitting into the shoes of politician.
India needs to restore the political process in Jammu and Kashmir and it needs a political face now. Manoj Sinha was probably the fit choice for now. The myths and the so-called experts opining that Murmu was victimized due to the non-cooperation of UT administration fall flat. If the local administration shall not have cooperated with him, he may not have been able to change and amend the laws that went totally against the wishes and aspirations of people.
The local bureaucracy in fact had a major role in what was being reformed and reorganized in UT at the end of the day. His job was almost over and the space for his next task was already thrown open after 13th CAG, Rajiv Mehrishvi-1978 batch IAS officer retired on Friday. Sinha is likely to end the political deadlock in Jammu and Kashmir.
He might steer up the political campaign now and engage with the politicians. But it does not seem an easy job. But the myths erupting in media over the change of guard in Jammu Kashmir are only proving illogical and hypothetical.
