Jammu, May 4 (PTI) Various political parties, including the Congress and the BJP, paid rich tributes to former Jammu and Kashmir governor Jagmohan on Tuesday and remembered his contributions for the people of the Union Territory.
Former Union minister Jagmohan, whose tough measures as an administrator in various roles won him many admirers but also drew criticism from some quarters, passed away following a spell of illness on Monday.
Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina led party leaders to pay tributes to Jagmohan and said he served the erstwhile state twice and would be remembered for managing it during a tough period of militancy.
"Jagmohan never let the Pakistani forces succeed in their malicious attempts to destabilise Jammu and Kashmir," Raina said, while also highlighting the former governor's initiative for the Shri Mata Vaisho Devi Shrine Board.
He said Jagmohan greatly reduced the partiality between the regions of Jammu and Kashmir and initiated several big development projects of that time in Jammu.
In a condolence message on behalf of the party rank and file, Jammu and Kashmir Congress's chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said Jagmohan rendered valuable services to the nation and the Union Territory during his public life, especially during his tenure as governor.
"He was an able administrator who curbed corruption with an iron first and gave an efficient and people-friendly administration to Jammu and Kashmir. His services shall be remembered for the times to come and he would continue to enjoy respect amongst the common man," Sharma said.
National Panthers Party president Bhim Singh led a condolence meeting to pay tributes to Jagmohan and said leaders in New Delhi should read the books written by him, especially those on Jammu and Kashmir.
"His book relating to the political situation in Jammu and Kashmir, 'My frozen turbulence in Kashmir', is worth reading to understand the political turmoil here. Jagmohan had diagnosed the political situation in Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
Singh said had the rulers in New Delhi read Jagmohan's books, they would not have committed the "blunder by converting the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories".
Meanwhile, the officers and the staff of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board condoled the demise of Jagmohan, who was the founder-chairman of the board.
Chief executive officer of the board Ramesh Kumar described Jagmohan as a great visionary and recalled his significant contribution, particularly as the founder-chairman of the board, for the creation of pilgrim-centric facilities.
A two-minute silence was observed to pay homage to the departed soul.
