news details |
|
|
| Welcome to shop, Omar | | |
The first Monday of November and similarly first Monday of May are always seen as two very impotant days in Jammu and Kashmir when heads of the government outline their new policy visions and share the achievements their governments made in past six months. The occasion is re-opening of the civil secretariat, the highest seat of power, in Jammu in November and in Srinagar in May. First time in several decades, as far as the memory go, the civil secretariat and other darbar move offices will be opening in Jammu on second Monday of the November instead of the first Monday, as the precedent has always remained. This small change in schedule notwithstanding, the environment remains all the same. It is the day when all main roads of the town are cleaned fresh, the sides are pained to give an exuberant feeling, the mantris, netas and babus are dressed up exquisitely and thousands of employees and officers are seen lined up in the civil secretariat where nicely dressed up cops of state Police are ready for a parade as the Chief Minister drives in. outside the majestic civil secretariat premises there is a huge security bandobast to chase away several dozen unions of employees, political parties other associations and groups gathered to rake up their issues in form of protests and demonstrations. This all is symbolic in nature. Though nothing of the sorts is provided by law, but as matter of precedence, inside the secretariat complex the Chief Minister usually addresses a crowded press conference at the time when cops are busy chasing away the protesters outside. The Chief Minister is heard talking about the achievements his government made in last six months as he gives his mind about what his government intends to do in next six months; there is never a mention of what is happening outside the premises of the civil secretariat. On November 9 when civil secretariat re-opens at Jammu, for the young Omar Abdullah, this is going second chance of his career as Chief Minister to this biennial talking and the first chance as he does so in Jammu. This is the first darbar move of Omar Abdullah government to Jammu since he took over as Chief Minister. There is no overnight sudden break out of problems and issues, but the occasion demands him to reiterate his commitment and reassure the aggrieved peoples that he has a framework for resolution of their genuine problems. At the moment, what stares his government at the face is a range of issues which includes: pay and arrears of government owned transport corporation (SRTC), pay revision and other issues of the junior doctors, unemployment problem of agriculture graduates and other technocrats, service issue of home guards, pay revision issue of lecturers and teachers, toning up the development plan of Jammu City etc. The issues listed here are just those for which people have protesting over past many weeks and months and they are likely to be seen on the streets once again when the Chief Minister and his colleagues in power re-enter the civil secretariat after six months stint in Srinagar. Instead of welcome garlands and bouquets for the government, people have always been seen holding placards on the eve of secretariat re-opening as they seek to tell the government that their issues should be kept high on the agenda for next six months. Omar and his colleagues are welcome to civil secretariat but their reassurance to redress the grievances shall go a long way in beginning the biennial inning in a friendly atmosphere.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
