ibn sultan
Srinagar:Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has accused previous administrations of emotionally dividing the Union Territory by ending the centuries-old tradition of the Darbar Move. Addressing a gathering in Srinagar on Friday, the Chief Minister said that discontinuing the biannual shifting of the civil secretariat between Srinagar and Jammu was not just an administrative decision but an emotional setback for the people of both regions.
“Those who ended the Darbar Move emotionally divided Jammu and Kashmir. This historic practice was not just symbolic but served as a bridge between the people of Jammu and the Valley,” Omar Abdullah said, criticizing the 2021 decision by the Lieutenant Governor-led administration to discontinue the tradition, citing cost-saving measures and the introduction of e-office systems.
The Darbar Move, initiated in 1872 by Maharaja Ranbir Singh, saw government offices function from Srinagar during summer and from Jammu in winter. The practice was intended to ensure governance was accessible to the people in both regions despite the extreme weather and geographical challenges.
Highlighting his government’s commitment to regional balance, Omar said that the tradition’s revival was a step towards restoring unity and trust between the two regions. “The secretariat belongs to both Kashmir and Jammu, and physically having it shift reminds the administration of its responsibility towards both,” he noted.
The Chief Minister further added that his Cabinet has formally approved the restoration of the Darbar Move, and the necessary orders would be issued soon. He dismissed the earlier claims of economic burden associated with the practice, calling the cost “a necessary investment in unity.”
Reacting to the development, political observers see the move as part of an effort by the ruling National Conference to rebuild ties with Jammu-based constituencies and assert regional equality in the post-Article 370 political scenario.
With this revival, Omar Abdullah also aimed to reiterate his demand for the restoration of full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. “The people of J&K deserve not just their traditions, but their rights and dignity as a full-fledged state,” he stressed.
The coming weeks are expected to provide more clarity on the logistics of implementing the Darbar Move, and whether this restoration will usher in a new phase of administrative accessibility and regional harmony in the Union Territory.(Agencies)
