Strike halts Jammu, protests mark reopening of darbar offices

Jammu and Kashmir state Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, walks to office after inspecting a guard of honor during the reopening of the state’s winter capital at the Civil Secretariat in Jammu on Monday. India’s Jammu-Kashmir state government functions from two capital cities, Jammu in winter and Srinagar in summer, a practice locally known as “durbar move” which started by Kashmir’s ruler Maharaja Ranbir Singh in 1872.(AP Photo)

A general strike on Monday marked the reopening of the Civil Secretariat – the seat of the Jammu and Kashmir government – here as many opposition leaders including state Congress chief G A Mir courted arrest during protests against the alleged “failures” of the PDP-BJP dispensation.

The day-long strike was called by a traders’ federation and supported by various political and social organizations to highlight the alleged failure of the PDP-BJP government to address their issues.

The protesters denounced collection of a toll tax on goods imported from outside the state and alleged discrimination against the people of the Jammu region.

The Civil Secretariat and other move offices reopened here after a 10-day break owing to the pre-Independence practice of ‘darbar move’ under which the Jammu and Kashmir government functions six months each in the twin capitals of Srinagar and Jammu.