“Darbar Move will be restored”: J&K CM Omar Abdullah

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], December 11 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday reiterated that the now-defunct Darbar Move would be restored.

He also questioned why the issue of the Darbar Move started making headlines only after the assembly elections.

“I don’t understand why this issue did not come up during the elections. The issue of the Darbar Move started to emerge only after the elections. However, we have repeatedly assured in meetings that the Darbar Move will be restored,” CM Omar told reporters after interacting with members of the civil society.

He also highlighted the importance and uniqueness of Jammu.

“Jammu has its own significance, its own speciality, and we will not let it diminish,” he said.

Earlier this month, he emphasised the need to showcase Jammu’s rich cultural heritage. “Our Dogra culture is a treasure unique to Jammu. Our traditions, food, and specialities are unmatched and must be leveraged as key selling points for tourism.”

On December 9, CM Omar Abdullah stated, “The hallmark of Jammu city was the biannual Darbar Move. For six months, people from Srinagar would work here, creating a lively environment. It fostered interaction between people from both sides of the mountains, whether at Wave Mall, Residency Road, or Gole Market. I assure you that we will resume the Darbar Move in the future. Unfortunately, time constraints prevented us from doing so this time.”

The Darbar Move referred to the biannual relocation of the secretariat and all other government offices of Jammu and Kashmir from one capital city to another. From May to October, government offices operated in the summer capital, Srinagar, while for the other six months, they functioned in the winter capital, Jammu.

In April 2021, for the first time in history, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir decided to defer the Darbar Move due to the COVID-19 pandemic.