Lauding the short stint of Mr. GC Murmu as Lt. Governor of the J&K UT, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman-JKNPP & former Minister said that his unceremonious removal was not totally unexpected. “Mr. GC Murmu was one of those administrators who had given unbiased and unprejudiced tenure in J&K without surrendering to the dictates of any political party. No political party had ever complained about his functioning as head of the UT unlike his predecessor who was often accused of partisan approach with ruthless subjugation of opposition parties during his term. While the BJP leadership had described the earlier Governor as ‘Apna banda’, Mr. GC Murmu seemed to have been removed only for the reason that he refused to act as yes man of BJP leadership. By ousting Mr. Murmu BJP has once again acted on the maxim, “My way or the Highway”, said Singh.Strongly condemning the BJP’s approach in its dealing with J&K, affairs, Mr. Singh said that coercion and intimidation of general masses and opposition through its envoys would only make the situation worse confounded. He said that Mr. Murmu seemed to have realized that involving people and all parties in the affairs of administration alone could steer the erstwhile State out of the crisis. But his policy of taking all parties on board and his favourable response towards the issues like restoration of 4G mobile services and restoration of democracy in J&K did not appeal to the authoritarian rulers who removed him in the most unceremonious manner. The episode is not only an act of constitutional outrage but would be remembered as another step in the gory list of BJP’s opportunistic maneuvers and deceptive politics.Not only had GC Murmu understood the complexities of J&K during his 10 months term as Lt. Governor, but he had taken some bold people friendly decisions like extension of Health Insurance cover to entire populace of J&K besides revocation of obnoxious SRO-202 which had been appreciated by NPP besides the youth and civil society, said Harsh. “By removing an unbiased and unprejudiced administrator, the BJP wanted to create an impression that those who did not promote its agenda or did not fall in line had no place in J&K. The power packed message seemed like a warning to those who were impartial in governance. Not only the government functionaries but those of the civil society not subscribing the BJP’s ideology had faced suppression under BJP’s rule which it wanted to continue at all costs even it had to make drastic changes in administration”, maintained Singh.
Referring to the new Lt. Governor, Mr. Singh expressed the hope that his affiliation with BJP would not come in the way of his gubernatorial assignment as head of the UT in giving an unbiased administration in J&K.