Kashmiri babus selectively put on insignificant slots

Ever since the imposition of governor’s rule followed by extension of presidential rule after expiry of first six months the governor’s administration is selectively putting top Kashmiri bureaucrats on insignificant positions not leaving any scope for them to come to the rescue of the local populations in Kashmir valley. The latest casualty of the discriminatory policy of transfers and postings is Syed Afhadul Mujtaba who has been shifted from the position of Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the crime branch of Jammu & Kashmir police and offered an insignificant position as Managing Director Jammu & Kashmir Police Housing Corporation. Interestingly Mujtaba is one of those top local IPS officers whose both integrity and as well performance on key territorial positions has been exemplary and upto the standardss. Worth noticing point is that Mujtaba was instrumental in carrying out the investigation of the rape and murder case of Kathua minor girl to logical conclusion but has been removed at a time when accused persons have filed appeal in Punjab High Court and one among the accused is yet to face trial as his age dispute case is pending before the Jammu & Kashmir High Court at Jammu. With the shifting of Mujtaba to Police Housing Corporation, the people concerned about the speedy justice to Kathua rape victim reserve the right to raise questions over the future plans of the Crime Branch in filing an appeal against the acquittal of one accused in the higher courts.
If Mujtaba has been sent out an insignificant position despite having a bright track record of integrity and performance, the senior most local IAS officer Asghar Hassan Samoon has been surprisingly given the charge of three insignificant departments while non local officers junior to him are holding the additional charge of some key departments. Interestingly Asghar Samoon is also one of those few officers whose integrity and performance on key positions in the civil administration has remained exemplary and upto the standards. This week the governor’s administration divested two more IAS officers of the charge of some key departments and offered them the charge of insignificant positions. Amid drum beating on war against corruption the governor’s administration is sidelining upright and performing local officers and putting on insignificant positions to deny them the opportunities of reconnecting the administration with the people at the grass roots.