News Analysis India

Tag: Lt Governor

  • Will Naqvi get L-G post of J&K ahead of assembly poll?

    Express News Service

    SRINAGAR:  With BJP denying Rajya Sabha ticket to its Muslim face and Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, speculations are rife that he may be posted as the Lt Governor of Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.

    There is a growing buzz in J&K that Naqvi, who is the prominent Muslim face of the saffron party, may take over as the constitutional head of J&K after the conclusion of Amarnath Yatra in August. Naqvi’s RS term is expiring and the party has neither given him RS ticket nor shown any inclination to field him from any of the vacant LS seats.

    Naqvi, who is currently the Union Minister of Minority Affairs, has been familiar with Kashmir. He had campaigned for party candidates in the 2014 assembly and 2020 DDC polls in the Valley. Naqvi was the first of the five Union ministers to visit J&K after Article 370 was revoked and J&K state was bifurcated into two UTs.

    The talk of possible change in guard in J&K has come after the targeted killings by militants in the Valley. It is being said that the Centre is unhappy with the L-G administration over the targeted killings.  Political observers say that with the first-ever assembly elections in J&K Union Territory likely to be held soon, the Modi government may go for change of guard in the UT and Naqvi’s appointment may be seen as an effort by the BJP to reach out to the Muslim population.

    However, a BJP leader said L-G’s is a constitutional post and it does not matter whether the person is a Hindu or Muslim. “The person who comes out with good policies will have a positive impact on the people,” he said. However, some political observers say that BJP is too “secretive” when it comes to nominating persons for  top posts.

  • Sheikh Abdullah’s image to be replaced with national emblem on J&K police medals

    Express News Service

    SRINAGAR: The administration led by Lt Governor in Jammu and Kashmir has decided to replace the picture of National Conference founder and former J&K Chief Minister Sheikh Abdullah from Jammu and Kashmir Police medals with the national emblem of India.

    “In modification to Para 4 of the Jammu and Kashmir Police Medal Scheme, the Sher-i-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah embossed on the side of the medal shall be replaced with ‘The National Emblem of the Government of India’ and the other side inscribed with J&K State Emblem shall be inscribed as ‘Jammu and Kashmir Police Medal for Gallantry’ and ‘Jammu and Kashmir Police Medal for Meritorious Service’ in case of Gallantry/Meritorious Medal, as the case may be,” reads a government order issued by  J&K Financial Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary Raj Kumar Goyal.

    The police medals were established in 2001 and are awarded on New Year’s Day, Republic Day, and Independence Day in two categories — bravery and exemplary service.

    Earlier, in January this year, the J&K government had changed the nomenclature of ‘Sher-i-Kashmir Police Medals’ to ‘Jammu and Kashmir Police Medals.’

    After the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A and bifurcation of J&K State by centre on August 5, 2019, J&K government has scrapped the state holiday commemorating the birth anniversary of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah also known as ‘Sher-i-Kashmir.’

    NC spokesman Imran Nabi Dar termed replacing Sheikh Abdullah’s image from police medals as an attempt to “erase our history and identity”.

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    “With due respect to the National Emblem, these attempts to erase our history, identity and icon show the nefariousness of the incumbents. People of J&K have struggled on many fronts to be where they are now. They fought oppression. No one can change that. Not by replacing/changing names,” Imran tweeted.

    Another NC leader Tanvir Sadiq tweeted, “As John F Kennedy said, “A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on. Ideas have endurance without death. Sher-e-Kashmir is not just a prefix that you can erase. Sher-e-Kashmir was, is and will always be the only Sher-e-Kashmir.”.