The National Conference (NC) on Wednesday pitched for the continuation of ‘Darbar Move’ — the bi-annual shifting of capital in Jammu & Kashmir — just a day after the High Court termed it a “burden on the exchequer”.
Also read | ‘Darbar Move’ burdens exchequer: J&K HC
NC leader Imran Nabi Dar said discontinuing the ‘Darbar Move’ would increase the gap between the two regions of J&K. “The practice helps foster unity and integrity between the culturally diverse regions,” he added.
Commenting on the court’s order on Tuesday, Mr. Dar said: “The practice of moving the secretariat between Jammu and Srinagar is a testimony to our complex history and tradition. Seeing it through the prism of only financial implications is erroneous.”
“Besides J&K is not the only exception to have two capital cities. Recently, Andhra Pradesh has proposed to have three capital cities. Jammu and Srinagar are the nerve centres and have centrality in terms of history and topography,” said Mr. Dar.
The NC termed the Darbar Move “a holistic model that relates to the pride to the people of J&K”. “The need of the hour is to augment the intra-regional connections and make them more stronger,” he added.
Former Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu also questioned the observations made by the J&K Chief Justice.
“Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Rajnesh Oswal have called J&K a “fiscally deprived UT”! Deprived? By the Union Government? I thought the received wisdom is that J&K has been “fiscally pampered”, living off central grants. So what gives?! Has it lost out on finances as a UT?” said Mr. Drabu.
The J&K High Court on Tuesday asked the Centre and the Union Territory (UT) administration to take a final call on the continuation of the 148-year-old practice of shifting capitals annually between Srinagar and Jammu, “which burdens the exchequer”.
“If this practice was rationalised, the amount of money, resources and time which could be saved, could be utilised towards the welfare and development of the UT. The Darbar Move results in wastage of tremendous amount of time, efforts and energy on inefficient and unnecessary activity,” the court observed.
Over 10,000 employees shift capital in J&K annually, a practice introduced in 1872 by a Dogra monarch to escape the harsh winters of the Kashmir Valley.
