SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam is under fire from parties over his alleged remarks that J&K was a "broken state" and that no one cried when leaders were detained after Article 370 was scrapped last year.
Senior People's Conference leader Imran Ansari in a series of tweets hit out at Subrahmanyam. "The CS J&K takes pride in dismantling, discrediting the mainstream. Mr CS, you have been here for two years. Wonder, how many people will cry if you are arrested. Hope you focus on your job rather than dabble in politics," he tweeted.
Talking to a group of journalists on Friday, Subrahmanyam reportedly said: "J&K was a 'broken state' — the governance was broken badly, there was no system, no rules, and decay began a long time ago. Not a single soul had cried over detention of political and separatist leaders in August last year, when Centre scrapped J&K’s status."
NC spokesman Imran Nabi Dar said it is clear that the BJP has installed its mouthpieces in the administration. "His statement reflects the inherent agenda of the incumbent to demean people of J&K and their leaders. The line that CS has taken is similar to what BJP leadership has been parroting since August 5 last year," he said.
The PDP termed CS's statement as "sad state of affairs where the top bureaucrat takes pride in dismantling and discrediting the mainstream and brags about it". "The fact that he timed his statement with the swearing-in of the new LG adds a different dimension to it, given the impression that the new incumbent is to revive a political process," said senior PDP leader Naeem Akhtar.
Congress spokesman Ravindra Sharma said, "The CS is supposed to be neutral."