JAMMU: Amid scenes of jubilation and festivity, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah received a rousing welcome from the people of Jammu as the historic ‘Darbar Move’ resumed on Monday, marking the return of government offices to the winter capital after a four-year hiatus.
Abdullah was greeted like a returning hero. The chief minister ditched his motorcade and instead chose to walk on foot from his official residence to the Raghunath Market en route to the Civil Secretariat — a simple gesture that instantly resonated with the people. The chief minister covered more than a kilometre on foot.
Accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and Minister Javed Rana, Abdullah was greeted by surging crowds along the Residency Road, where traders and citizens distributed sweets and cheered his government’s decision.
The mood of the crowd was electric, and their excitement palpable. Along the Residency Road and through the busy Raghunath Bazar, flower petals rained down on the chief minister as rhythmic beats of drums and fervent sloganeering rent the air.
The chief minister, who fulfilled a key election promise by reviving the centuries-old tradition, underscored the move’s significance as unity over mere fiscal savings.
The Darbar Move involves the seasonal shifting of the Jammu and Kashmir government’s offices from Srinagar to Jammu, a practice started by Dogra rulers nearly 150 years ago.
The Civil Secretariat and other offices closed in Srinagar on October 30 and 31 and began functioning in the winter capital on Monday for the next six months.
The Darbar Move was halted by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in June 2021, citing the administration’s complete transition to e-office, which, he said, would save around Rs 200 crore annually.
“How important was this (decision), especially for Jammu, you might have come to know this morning. The journey (from my official residence to the Civil Secretariat), which usually takes five minutes, took an hour with people pouring out on the streets and showering their love…Jammu was greatly affected when the Darbar Move was stopped,” Abdullah said.
Addressing this rationale, the chief minister told reporters at the Civil Secretariat that the decision was driven by sentiment and regional integration.
“The most important thing is that everything should not be weighed in money. The Darbar Move was stopped to save money. Some things are more important than money, as they involve sentiments and unity between the two regions of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said, calling the tradition the “biggest way” to unite the regions.
The decision to stop the move had previously drawn sharp criticism, especially from Jammu’s business community, which termed it a significant blow to trade and the traditional bond between the regions. They had been pressing for its revival ever since.
Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Arun Gupta, who was among the first to greet the chief minister, hailed the decision, saying, “This is a historic day for us, and the warm welcome accorded to the chief minister tells it all.”
Traders turned up in large numbers and garlanded the chief minister, showered flower petals and distributed sweets amid drumbeats and slogan shouting throughout the route.
The security detail of the chief minister had a tough time managing the surging and enthusiastic crowds as he walked to the secretariat.
“We decided to thank the chief minister for accepting the demand of the traders and the civil society. The stopping of the Darbar Move had caused significant harm to Jammu,” Gupta said.
The chief minister received a guard of honour from the Jammu and Kashmir Police contingent upon reaching the Civil Secretariat.
His father and former chief minister and National Conference President Farooq Abdullah, who was present at the Civil Secretariat, said the city was brimming with new energy.
“After years, the full Darbar Move has returned…I am very happy that those who were trying to separate Jammu and Kashmir failed today. Jammu and Kashmir is a single entity, and Jammu will benefit a lot,” he said.
The chief minister further expressed hope that the economy of the region would benefit greatly from his decision to revive the age-old tradition.
Due to a paucity of time, the chief minister later continued his journey to the secretariat in his motorcade.
A group of people waiting for the chief minister outside the secretariat showered flower petals on his cavalcade. (PTI)