“Why BJP did not implement Darbar Move in J&K”: Dy CM Surinder Choudhary

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], March 15 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Saturday slammed the BJP, questioning its commitment to the region. He pointed out that despite being in power, the BJP failed to implement the Darbar Move in J-K over the last decade.

” We always give equal importance to both Jammu and Kashmir. Why didn’t they (BJP) implement the Darbar Move in J-K in the last 10 years?… The National Conference has always done justice with Jammu,” Choudhary told reporters.

The Darbar Move is a significant tradition in Jammu and Kashmir. The state government shifts its base between Srinagar and Jammu twice a year. This practice has been in place since Maharaja Ranjit Singh and is seen as a way to maintain a balance between the two regions.

Under the arrangement, from May to October, government offices operate in the summer capital, Srinagar, while for the other six months, they function in the winter capital, Jammu.

“If the Darbar Move had happened, the businesses in Jammu would have benefitted a lot. The Jammu region got justice during the previous National Conference governments. The BJP leaders now say that Jammu is being discriminated against. It is just for grabbing headlines,” he added.

Choudhary emphasised that the National Conference has consistently prioritized Jammu’s needs and done justice to the region.

Earlier in December 2024, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that the now-defunct Darbar Move would be restored.

“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 had told reporters in Jammu.

On December 9, 2024, 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.”

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.