This Day in History: 3 July1984 – Farooq Abdullah Government Was Dismissed ‘undemocratically’
The 13-month-old Farooq Abdullah Ministry was dismissed by the governor Jagmohan Malhotra followed by the installation of a new government headed by G M Shah. Farooq’s ministry was dismissed on its being reduced to a minority after 12 party MLAs and an independent announced their withdrawal of support. Fourteen new ministers were also sworn in in the new ministry.
Owing to the pre-dawn defection and installation of a minority government in Jammu and Kashmir, the Opposition called for a united condemnation of this “undemocratic act”. While L K Advani, the BJP general secretary opined that the governor should have allowed the Abdullah government to test its majority, CPM leader E M S Namboodiripad felt this was another step by the Congress regime against non-Congress governments.
Governor Jagmohan claimed that he acted in the national interest and that he had to take action against Abdullah who, he alleged, was not taking a firm stand against pressure from terrorists in Punjab and Pakistan. He added that Farooq Abdullah had lost his support in the Assembly with the defection of the MLAs to Congress (I). Jagmohan, therefore, concluded that he only did what was expected of him in the summer of 1984.
Kashmir witnessed massive and strict curfew after the development. The new CM GM Shah imposed curfew across Valley. The government said that curfew was better option to avoid human casualties.
Some of the members who defected included Ali Muhammad Naik who was made Education Minister, Sonaullah Dar was given the charge of Ministry for Industries. Devi Das Thakur was the deputy chief minister in GM Government.
Those who gained celebrated the event as ‘Day of Deliverance’ and who mourned the development observed it as ‘Black Day’.
