"Don't Push Us To Wall": Omar Abdullah's Party To Centre Amid Transfer Row

The Omar Abdullah-led National Conference today passed two resolutions, one urging the Centre to respect the people's mandate in Jammu and Kashmir and another condemning the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Parliament.

The resolutions followed a two-hour legislative party meeting of the ruling National Conference and its allies. They come amid a tussle between the Omar Abdullah government and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha's office. The National Conference has said it wants to run the government with "love and respect" and its silence should not be construed as its "weakness". It has also urged the BJP-led central government to "not push them to the wall".

Behind the first major confrontation between the Union Territory's government and Raj Bhavan is the transfer of 48 Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officers on the Lieutenant Governor's instructions. According to sources, the elected government feels that the order disrespects the people's mandate and tramples upon the authority of the Omar Abdullah government.

"It can't be business as usual. We wanted cordial relations with the Raj Bhavan and the Centre, but they have chosen to disrespect the mandate. It's unacceptable," said a National Conference leader.

A National Conference leader told the media that Omar Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah and MLAs of the National Conference and its allies attended the meeting. "We passed two key resolutions. One strongly rejects the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. We believe it is against the Muslims. The second resolution is that the mandate of Jammu and Kashmir's people must be respected. We have requested the government to respect the mandate. Our coordination must not be seen as our weakness. This is the last time we want to appeal, don't push us to the wall," he said.

The conflict has erupted days ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Jammu and Kashmir. Mr Shah is scheduled to reach Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday for a three-day visit to review the security situation amid a spike in terrorist activities in Jammu.

The Chief Minister has reportedly written to the Home Minister, expressing his resentment over the Raj Bhavan's transfer orders and pointing out that this falls within the domain of the elected government under the 2019 Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act.

The Act authorises the Lieutenant Governor to transfer IAS officers and control law and order in the Union Territory. All other departments, including the transfer of JKAS officers, fall under the elected government's jurisdiction.

According to sources, because he is in charge of law and order, the Lieutenant Governor issued the order transferring Revenue officers because they also perform the duties of magistrates.

The Omar Abdullah government came to power in October last year after a thumping victory in the Assembly election. The government and the Raj Bhavan have been locked in a tussle since then due to overlapping powers. Mr Abdullah has stressed that he wants cordial ties with the Centre, but the recent developments have irked him.

There is also unease in the elected government over the delay in the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood, which it lost when its special status was revoked in 2019. The Centre had reportedly assured Mr Abdullah that the consultation on the restoration of statehood would start soon after the Assembly polls in Maharashtra. But according to the National Conference, the Centre has refused to give any timeline for these talks.