Lt Governor Manoj Sinha by taking a lead role in allowing the Muharram processions in the heart of Srinagar city and many more parts of Kashmir Valley silenced the critics of his Government
In a first in last 34 years allowing Muharram processions on almost all the traditional routes in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir Valley was by all probabilities tantamount to undoing a wrong precedence of all the erstwhile popular Governments of erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state that was going against the spirits of religious sentiments of the entire majority muslim community particularly the Shia community. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha joining the mourners in the Zuljanah procession on Muharram 10 in Srinagar’s Zadibal area was a path breaking move which not even a single Chief Minister of erstwhile popular governments took. Morality demands that Chief Ministers of erstwhile popular Governments taking the burden of a very bad track record of restricting the Muharam processions for more than three decades seek an apology from people of Jammu & Kashmir for setting a bad precedence which went against the religious sentiments of entire majority muslim community particularly shia community. Senior Peoples Conference Leader and former Minister Molvi Imran Raza Ansari tending to draw parallels between the Muharram procession and the ongoing Amarnath Yatra at a high level meeting chaired by Lt Governor himself could have triggered religious animosities between the Amarnath Yatris and majority muslim community if Lt Governor Manoj won’t have exhibited absolute political maturity and administrative wisdom by joining the Muharamm procession alongwith top functionaries of police and civil administration including Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bhiduri and Additional Director General Police Kashmir Range Vijay Kumar. In fact Lt Governor Manoj Sinha by taking a lead role in allowing the Muharram processions in the heart of Srinagar city and many more parts of Kashmir Valley silenced the critics of his Government like Molvi Imran Raza Ansari whose controversial remark over the arrangement for Muharram processions during a high level meeting chaired by Lt Governor himself could have spoiled the Government’s plans of giving a safe passage to the Muharram procession on 10th Muharram. It merits a mention here that usually all Shia leaders used to walk out of the meetings conducted by the Government for giving smooth passage to Muharram processions in Kashmir but this time other Shia leaders did not walk out of the meeting with Imran Raza Ansari in presence of Lt Governor and Chief Secretary which shows that actions of Molvi Ansari were not endorsed even by the leaders of his own Shia community.
“Be it Imran Raza Ansari’s remark against the Government or Farooq Abdullah’s charge against his political rivals over the conduct of Muharram processions it has been proved beyond doubts that Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has exhibited the political maturity in reversing the clock in the conduct of Muharram processions which half a dozen former Chief Ministers of erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state failed to show. After all actions speak louder than words. Lt Governor Manoj Sinha led Government deserves full compliments for breaking 34 year old bad track record of the erstwhile popular Governments in the conduct of Muharram processions in Jammu & Kashmir”.
Not only Molvi Imran Raza Ansari’s controversial statement over Muharram procession but even the statement of senor most mainstream leader of Jammu & Kashmir Dr Farooq Abdullah a three time former Chief Minister was in total contrast to the realities of the past as he said certain vested interests were spoiling plans of allowing Muharram processions during the time his party was ruling the erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state. It is very unfortunate that a three time former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah does not muster the courage to name those who according to him were spoiling the plans of allowing Muharram processions by the previous Governments controlled by his party in erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state. Be it Imran Raza Ansari’s remark against the Government or Farooq Abdullah’s charge against his political rivals over the conduct of Muharram processions it has been proved beyond doubts that Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has exhibited the political maturity in reversing the clock in the conduct of Muharram processions which half a dozen former Chief Ministers of erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state failed to show. After all actions speak louder than words. Lt Governor Manoj Sinha led Government deserves full compliments for breaking 34 year old bad track record of the erstwhile popular Governments in the conduct of Muharram processions in Jammu & Kashmir.
