Farooq Abdullah slams Jammu Smart City project, asks to revive Darbar Move

Darbar Move was not just about running shops, it created a bond -- a relationship between the Muslims of Kashmir and the Hindus of Jammu, Farooq Abdullah added citing the need for its revival

National Conference supremo Farooq Abdullah on Monday expressed dismay over the state of the Jammu Smart City project and criticised the lack of visible development and basic infrastructure.

He also called for a revival of communal harmony in Jammu and Kashmir through restoration of the Darbar Move.

"I feel ashamed when I see your so-called smart city. I do not consider this a smart city. I don't see any functioning lights anywhere. What kind of smart city is this?" he told reporters.

Abdullah, who visited the city's Raghunath bazaar late at night, took a dig at the those executing the Jammu Smart City project. "Simply calling it a smart city does not make it one. It needs to be developed as such to truly be called a smart city."  He also lamented that the people of the region had been silently enduring these shortcomings.

"The people here do not protest; they simply endure everything," the former chief minister of the erstwhile state said.

Extending new year greetings, Abdullah underscored the importance of snow and rain for agriculture.

"I wish you a happy new year. May God bless us with a good year, with plenty of snowfall and rain, which is crucial for crops. Snow and rain have reduced significantly. Pray to god for snow and rain so that our difficulties are resolved," he said.

Commenting on the cessation of the Darbar Move, the National Conference chief emphasised its cultural and communal significance.

"The Darbar Move was not just about running shops, it created a bond -- a relationship between the Muslims of Kashmir and the Hindus of Jammu. We need to bring back that bond and friendship. We must live in harmony and restore these relationships of friendship," he said.

The Darbar Move refers to the biannual shift of the state secretariat and other government offices from the summer capital Srinagar to the winter capital Jammu.

The tradition was started during the rule of Maharaja Ranbir Singh in 1872. It continued until 2020, when the-then Union Territory administration announced that state secretariats would be maintained in both Jammu and Srinagar.

Abdullah shared his disappointment with the state of businesses in the region, noting empty shops and a lack of shoppers. "I have come to these shops and not seen any buyers. Why is this happening?"  Calling for communal harmony and mutual respect, he said, "We pray to god to restore those bonds so that we can all live with dignity."  Abdullah was also asked about People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti's daughter Iltija Mufti calling Hindutva a "disease".

"What statement Mufti sahiba gives is her prerogative as a leader. I cannot respond to it. Whatever statement she makes is her concern, I have no connection to it," Abdullah said.

Iltija Mufti stoked controversy after she alleged that Hindutva was a disease that was defaming Hinduism and leading to "lynching and persecution" of minorities, especially Muslims.

She had also claimed that the BJP was using Hindutva to strengthen its vote bank.