No intention to buy peace, working to establish it: J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha

Sinha noted that his administration has made significant progress in dismantling the terror ecosystem, but added that he is aware that its roots are deep and what is visible is not the end of it. “The people who have been part of this ecosystem from here (J&K) to Delhi for the past 70-75 years do not normally allow any person to stabilize,” he said. “But things have changed and those watching the situation too have similar intentions.”

The Lt Governor emphasised the need for restoring Jammu and Kashmir to its pristine glory, not only for the state but for the entire country. “Our thrust will be on measures for economic and social development, social justice, and equality,” he said.

Sarwanand Koul Premi was a towering man of ideas and ideals, said Sinha. “He was undoubtedly one of the greatest writers of his time with a deep commitment to the upliftment of downtrodden and weaker sections of society,” he said.

The J&K Government conferred on him a lifetime achievement award posthumously in 2022, and a Higher Secondary School in his village Sof-Shali (Saft-Shaleshwar), Anantnag, was named after him the same year. His name was also included in the list of Unsung Heroes of the freedom movement under Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav, and the Ministry of Communication released a special postal cover and postal stamp on him in 2021.

Sinha later inaugurated a special governance camp for the families of West Pakistani refugees in R S Pura tehsil, where he said ownership rights of lands to West Pakistani Refugees will be ensured by the UT administration on the directions of the Central Government. “It will act as an institutional structure to effectively resolve all the pending cases within a time frame and mitigate the problems of farmers,” he added.