NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, is under- ‘Stood to have given his clearance for the replacement of the Jammu and Kashmir director-general of Police, J.N. Saxena, recall of the chief secretary, V.K. Kapoor, to the Center and shifting of the state governor, G.C. Saxena, to some other state soon.
The administrative reshuffle has been approved by the Prime Minister after consultations with the Union home minister, S.B. Chavan, the former state chief minister, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, and the communications minister Rajesh Pilot, Madhavrao Scindia, minister for civil aviation, was also reportedly involved in this exercise.
The three advisers to the governor – B.J. Heerjee, Virinder Prakash and Ved Marwah – may also be replaced. Lt-Gen M.A Zaki commandant of the National Defense Academy, who ‘was formerly commander of the 15th Comps in J and K, is also likely to be taken as adviser to the governor or in some other important capacity such as Director of Liaison between the civil and military authorities. All these appointments may be officially announced soon.
According to informed sources, Ashok Jaitly, financial commissioner of the state, who is said to be in the good books of Dr. Abdullah, is likely to be the new chief secretary. Either M.A. Nomani, director of the Bureau of Police Research and Development or M.N. Sabharwal, who is in the railway ministry, may succeed the D.G police, Saxena, who is likely to proceed on leave.
Gen R.V. Krishna Rao, who was formerly governor of the state, is in the reckoning for reappointment. But Dr. Farooq Abdullah is reportedly lobbying for the transfer of the Bihar governor, Shafi Qureshi, to J. and K.
Saxena’s recall from the state is certain, though he is being allowed to continue for another four to six weeks. He may be shifted to Rajasthan, where nobody has been appointed so far to replace D.P. Chattopadhyaya who resigned recently.
LIKELY INDUCTION: The likely induction of L.t, Gen Zaki is significant for the government’s new strategy for restoring, normally in the troubled state as it ‘envisages greater involvement of
the Army in anti-terrorist operations. As a corps commander in the state, Lt. Gen Zaki was quite effective in the seizure of arms and ammunition from militants in the border areas of the state.
If the new strategy succeeds in disarming militants and restoring a certain amount of confidence.
Among the alienated people of the valley steps will be taken for the revival of the political process.
The govt is hoping these changes in the administration would start showing results soon. However, it is too clearly to say anything. ‘The onset of winter will be a damper on movement across the border and will consequently re- duce the scale of violence in the state.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 11, 1991
