Visit By A Head Of State And The Controversy Over Shahar-e-Khaas -- The Downtown Srinagar

Dotted with Sufi shrines, grand mosques, old wooden houses, and narrow lanes leading to big centuries-old bazaars, old town Srinagar, popularly known as Shahar-e-Khaas, is the most densely-populated area of the city. Located on the banks of the river Jhelum, it is about 3.1 km from the city centre of Lal Chowk.

It is known for its traditional craft, artisans, architecture and spirituality, with some of the most revered shrines of Kashmir located there. Its bazaars are at Borhi Kadal, Zaina Kadal and Mahraj Gunj, named after the maharajas who ruled Kashmir from 1846 to 1947, are most sought after. Srinagar’s downtown represents the microcosm of Kashmiri culture, social, economic and spiritual identity, and have been visited by all Kashmir leaders from Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah to Mehbooba Mufti. But Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha has courted controversy by recently claiming that he is the first head of the government in J&K to visit the area.

“I was told by local people that in 75 years, for the first time, a head of government had visited downtown Srinagar. They said many areas were known for the wrong reasons. But I believe downtown Srinagar has shed its past and is now a new address of Indian sporting heroes,” said Sinha, after visiting the interiors of the city on September 7. Though he is not the first head of the government who has been in the old city of Srinagar, the effort of the government is to promote every developmental activity as if it’s happening for the first time.

Since 1947, different Prime Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir like Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad, and Mir Sadiq have frequently visited the downtown — J&K used to have Prime Ministers until 1965 when the title was changed to that of Chief Minister. Also, Farooq Abdullah, Mufti Sayeed, Omar Abdullah, and Mehbooba Mufti as chief ministers have toured the old city and inaugurated developmental projects and cultural and sports events.
Sinha inaugurated Ellahi Bagh Indoor Sports Stadium in the old city and said in the last past few years, downtown Srinagar has witnessed a massive rise in the number of sports activities.

He said, “Around 12 sports fields, mini-stadiums in different areas of downtown Srinagar have been upgraded by J&K sports council with world-class amenities to nurture young talents. In the last three years, we have ensured unprecedented progress about infrastructure, career progression and the future of the players. An enabling environment through new policies has been created which fills the gap of the last 70 years.

“We have to restore the reputation of Shahr-e-Khas, once called the heartbeat of Kashmir. Some people with vested interest are rattled by the all-around development taking place in J&K Union territory. Efforts were also made to mislead many of our youth. The entire families of those who misled our children, are living a comfortable life in the big cities of the country and abroad while our children have suffered. There is no place for such elements in civilized society.”
Many see Sinha’s oft-repeated statements to describe everything as happening in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time as an attempt to project that previous governments did nothing for the state and its people. 

The old city was considered the hub of the separatist movement for the past 30 years. But successive chief ministers and Governors of Jammu and Kashmir have toured the city and even addressed people there.

On August 20, 2018, the then Governor NN Vohra undertook an extensive tour of downtown Srinagar and visited various places, including Hazratbal, Jamia Masjid, Naqashband Sahib and Dastgeer Sahib.

During his visit to the historical old city, the Governor reviewed the pace of developmental works underway at various locations.

Wherever he halted, Vohra, widely respected as a Governor among the political class in Jammu and Kashmir, met groups of civil society members and business leaders. They informed him of their varied concerns and requirements, including the infrastructural shortages at the shrines. Vohra would give patient hearings to all who met him and assured them that all their genuine concerns will be addressed in a time-bound manner.

“Elahi Bagh is not downtown. Even if we agree for the argument’s sake that it is downtown, LG is not the first head of government to visit the old city. We have been visiting Old City in the thick of militancy since 1996 and Dr Farooq Abdullah would visit the old city when he was Chief Minister,” said senior National Conference leader Ali Mohammad Sagar, 62, who has earlier been J&K’s law minister and rural development minister.

In 1997, when Abdullah was Chief Minister, he went to old city despite militants throwing eight grenades. In 2010, when Omar Abdullah was chief minister, he inaugurated Zaina Kadal and Bulbul Lankar Shrine. Sagar says he also addressed gatherings. Former Chief Ministers Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Mehbooba Mufti have also extensively toured the old city Srinagar. 

Senior PDP leader Naeem Akhtar says, “Lt Governor must make his administration apologise to all CMs from Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah to Mufti Mohammad Sayeed for this outright lie fed to him and stenographers who write along the dotted line.”

On Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s anniversary on September 8, Akhtar wrote: “Forty years back the Lion of Kashmir who mesmerised his generation of J&K Muslims accedes to India, defying the logic of partition passed into history. As he’s sought to be erased from history like his Kashmir from geography, it’s now claimed he never visited Srinagar.”