J&K govt resumes functioning in Jammu amid protests

Amid sporadic anti-government protests, the J&K govt kick-started its work here in keeping with the tradition of bi-annual shifting of the state capital.

Jammu: Amid sporadic anti-government protests, the Jammu and Kashmir government Monday kick-started its work here in keeping with the tradition of bi-annual shifting of the state capital.

In continuance with the 140-year-old practice of erstwhile Dogri kings of shifting capital in Jammu and Kashmir with change of seasons, offices including civil secretariat, state legislature, Raj Bhawan started their work in the winter capital here after shifting from Srinagar. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah kick-started working of the government by taking guard of honour at the civil secretariat here. Omar was given guard of honour by state Police contingent on his arrival at civil secretariat and later inaugurated newly constructed rooms at the complex and addressed a meeting of his ministers and officials. The civil secretariat closed in Srinagar in the last week of October. "We want to work for the people of J&K--people have given us full support and co-operation-- We seek co-operation from the people of Jammu to ensure development and progress in this region for the next 6 months after reopening of darbar offices," Omar told reporters here today. Omar said our endeavour will be to sort out problems being faced by the people in the next six months. "Our single biggest contribution to the state is conduct of panchayat polls to empower people at the grass-root level," the chief minister said. In view of threat of protests, authorities had imposed prohibitory orders around the secretariat and heavy police deployment was made to deal with them. Protest march of Government employees towards secretariat was foiled by the police after brief clashes at Press club area. They were demanding policy regularisation of daily-wagers, removal of pay anomalies among other things. Led by Shamsher Singh Manhas, state president of BJP, party activists took anti-government protest on the opening day of `darbar` offices, police said. They were alleging that Omar-led coalition government failed to address the problems being faced by the people, and there was discrimination against Jammu region at all levels. "People of the state are suffering on account of inadequate supply of ration, shortage and black marketing of LPG and delay in holding the Urban Local Bodies elections despite repeated assurances by the state government," the BJP leader said. Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party activists also organised a protest demonstration outside the Raj Bhawan to lodge its protest against the state government for its "persistent neglect and deprivation of Jammu region." Over 5,300 employees and truck loads of records were shifted from Srinagar to Jammu. Over Rs 10 crore were spent for the shifting. PTI