NEW DELHI- With elections in the flood-hit Jammu and Kashmir getting delayed by a couple of months, the Centre is mulling to place the sensitive state under Governor’s rule when Omar Abdullah led National Conference-Congress coalition government completes its term early January next year. Ahead of the new arrangement, the Centre is likely to appoint Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain as the Governor, who enjoys immense goodwill of the people, especially in Kashmir. As General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the strategically important XV Corps, General Hasnain had succeeded in building rapport with people by holding interactions to redress grievances and concerns of commons citizens and to bring the Army closer to them. He had developed a personal rapport with intelligentsia and members of the fourth state. Encouraged with the response, Gen Hasnain had conceived and operationalised the “Hearts Doctrine” which focused on people as the centre of gravity in Kashmir.
Reliable sources told STATE TIMES that candidature of General Hasnain, a prolific member of track-two diplomacy and a Visiting Fellow of the Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi has almost been cleared at the preliminary stage. His crucial appointments in Jammu and Kashmir in various capacities go to his credit for the gubernatorial assignment.
As a Brigadier, Hasnain served as Commander, 12 Infantry Brigade, on the Line of Control in Uri. Having commanded 19 Infantry Division in Baramulla, Lieutenant General Hasnain was posted as General Officer Commanding XV Corps in October, 2010.
Lt. General Hasnain will replace Narendra Nath Vohra, who is running his second tenure as Governor since June 2013. Vohra is the first civilian Governor of Jammu and Kashmir after Jagmohan, whose stint was cut short on 26th May 1990 when former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing of the Ministry of Home Affairs Girish Chandra Saxena was appointed as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. On 12th March 1993, General K.V Krishna Rao was appointed as the Governor for the second time who is credited with holding elections to Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly in 1996 after the State undergoing Governor’s and President’s Rule for about six years after the onset of militancy. G.C Saxena again succeded General Rao in 1998. He was replaced by General S K Sinha in June 2003.
V.K SHARMA
