Omar Abdullah says both Murmu & Satya Pal Malik got order to leave 'when least expected'

Making an important observation on the appointment of former Union minister and BJP leader Manoj Sinha as Lt. Governor of UT of Jammu-Kashmir, NC leader Omar Abdullah said that previous L-G and last Governor of the erstwhile state - both were removed 'rather unceremoniously.' Taking to Twitter on a day after the massive development in J-K, the former CM of Jammu and Kashmir said that previous L-G GC Murmu's resignation and shifting of Satya Pal Malik - who was the last Governor of the erstwhile state came at a point when it was 'least expected.' He added that both of them had a full schedule of meeting packed when Centre ordered them to leave. 

READ: Manoj Sinha appointed new J&K Lieutenant Governor; GC Murmu's resignation accepted

Earlier, as the resignation of Murmu came, and Centre appointed Sinha as the next L-G, Omar Abdullah took a dig at the 'sources' and said that this government can always be trusted to 'pull an unexpected name out of the hat.' 

READ: J&K L-G GC Murmu Submits Resignation To President Kovind After 9 Months Of Service

Murmu's appointment at first L-G

Post-abrogation of Article 370 from Kashmir,  Girish Chandra Murmu was appointed as the first L-G of the newly bifurcated UT Jammu-Kashmir, succeeding Governor Satya Pal Malik. Murmu previously served as principal secretary to the then CM of Gujarat Narendra Modi and belongs the Gujarat Cadre of the Indian Administrative Services. During his service in Gujarat, he held key administrative operations in the state and was the Secretary in the department of expenditure at the Ministry of Finance in the second Modi government. 

Murmu's resignation

In a massive development, Jammu-Kashmir Lieutenant-Governor GC Murmu, on Wednesday, has submitted his resignation to President Ram Nath Kovind as per sources. Murmu was appointed at first L-G of UT of J&K on 31 October 2019, after the state was bifurcated and its special status revoked on August 5, 2019. This move comes after Murmu's controversial comments on Assembly elections in the Union Territory for which he was pulled up by the Election Commission.

READ | Omar Abdullah says 'one year after Article 370 abrogation, Centre afraid to let us meet'

Satya Pal Malik's resignation 

On October 25, 2019, the Government of India removed Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik and shifted him to Goa. This came within two months of the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile state of J&K into Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh. Satya Pal Malik was appointed as Governor of the erstwhile state of J&K on August 23, 2018, and was the first politician to be sent to J&K as a governor in three decades.

READ | Omar Abdullah has intriguing first response to Manoj Sinha's appointment as J&K's new L-G