“Putting logo of erstwhile state on the official letter is ‘unfortunate’, as it shows that the party leadership has not itself accepted the change of October 2019”
Nitesh Sangral
It appears that some newly elected leaders of Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) have apparently not accepted the downgrading of the State of Jammu and Kashmir into Union Territory, which is evident from their official letters, still carrying remnants of the erstwhile state logo.
In a latest instance, a newly elected District Development Council (DDC) member from Sunderbani area of Rajouri District has written a letter to District Development Commissioner, Rajouri with logo of erstwhile state.
A letter (copy in possession with The Typewriter), written by a BJP member from Sunderbani, Mr. Rajinder Sharma displays the remnant logo of the erstwhile state on the right corner of the letter head of the DDC.
The logo of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir has lost its relevance and significance on 31 October 2019, when Jammu and Kashmir was no longer a state.
The Home Ministry, in a notification, replaced the state of Jammu and Kashmir with the “union territory of Jammu and Kashmir”. The Narendra Modi-government ended special status to Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, fulfilling the BJP’s long-standing promise to do so in the first 100 days of its second term in power. The government reasoned that both Article 370 and 35A were “constitutionally vulnerable” and discriminatory and inhibited the development of the state.
Talking to The Typewriter, a senior BJP leader, wishing anonymity said that the DDC of Sunderbani might have committed an inadvertent mistake.
“Jammu and Kashmir is a Union Territory, which is the accepted fact, but I feel that DDC Sunderbani has mistakenly put logo of erstwhile state on his official letter,” said BJP leader, adding that he will certainly communicate it to the party high command to ‘at-least keep all the new leaders in the loop of understanding about the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir’.
He, however, said that the new entrants or leaders are over excited with their assignments, owing to which they sometimes forget the official protocol.
“Being a senior leader, I condemn any act which goes against the basic principle of the party and the government, but I believe that the party has failed miserably to cultivate discipline among the new entrants, especially the DDC members, who have been often seen going against party principles,” said BJP leader, adding that putting logo of erstwhile state on the official letter is ‘unfortunate’, as it shows that the party leadership has not itself accepted the change of October 2019.
Meanwhile, political observers believe that such attempts are detrimental for the image of the party.
“Even if after more than one year of abrogation of Article 370 and demotion of State into Union Territory, the party leaders are carrying remnants of erstwhile state, it shows that they have not accepted the change,” said political observer, wishing anonymity adding that it will certainly send negative message in the public.
Earlier, in a letter to District Development Commissioner, Rajouri-Mr. R. K Shavan, BJP leader and DDC Sunderbani has flagged certain area specific issues and seeking redressal.
When contacted the District Development Council member Sunderbani, Mr Rajinder Sharma said that mistake has been done on the part of his staff and he had no knowledge of it. “I have instructed my team to replace the official letters having logo of erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, ” said Sharma, adding that everyone is ‘habitual’ of having such logos on the official letterhead, so it will take time to change habit.
