Kashmir Editorial on S K Sinha former governer of Assam and Kashmir with right wing Hindutva leanings

From: Kashmir Times, 25 September 2012

Next man in the Rajbhavan
SK Sinha’s latest outburst underlines the need for ensuring a really deserving successor to Vohra

Former governor, (retired Lt Gen) Srinivas Kumar Sinha’s misconceived patriotism continues to pinch him for his failure to secure the ‘ideological frontiers’ of Jammu and Kashmir. Even though he has sought to disown retrospectively inconvenient portion of his recent biased public statement on Kashmir, Sinha’s typical projection of issues betrays his known prejudice against the people of Kashmir. Sinha’s pernicious mindset came into full play, first as governor of Assam and later here in J&K. By doing what he sought to do he caused colossal damage to the socio-political fabric of both the states and plunged them into social turmoil whose scars will take a long time to go. There was nothing surprising in his alleged adverse comment on the conduct of the Kashmir police. It fits into the pattern of his known thinking. If, for some unexplained reasons, Sinha had to backtrack and eat his own words uttered at a public function in Aligarh, it really does not matter. His refutation lacks conviction and does not square up with what he says about other issues.
What gives the truth away is Sinha’s lament that he could not do what he had embarked upon to do in respect of the ‘temporary allotment’ of Amarnath land to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB). Taken together with the former governor’s overall conduct in office here, these bits and pieces fall into a familiar pattern and lead to his ideological pedigree. Soon after Sinha’s resignation from the Army he landed into the lap of right wing Hindu ideological groups. The BJP failed to get him elected to the Lok Sabha for want of popular support but rewarded him with extended governorship of two sensitive states---Assam and J&K. In Assam he exploited the ‘foreigner’ issue to polarise communal atmosphere and here he brazenly identified himself with self-appointed guardian of ‘Bharat Mata’. Sinha’s tenure in office left a trail of destruction for his sober successors.
J&K has had two governors out of ex-Army personnel. Former chief of army staff, (R) Gen KV Krishna Rao and (R) Lt Gen SK Sinha. Their style of functioning as well as their conduct was poles apart. The former even while being driven by strategic and security considerations displayed no ideological bias, this way or that. Perhaps he could be faulted for his political style of functioning but never for his ideology. On the other hand, Sinha could never hide his biased proclivity. Rao acted as friend, philosopher and guide for the political regime of his time while Sinha liked to behave as bull in china shop. The worst side of Sinha’s mental makeup surfaced towards final phase of his tenure when he sought to cultivate extra-constitutional loyalties within bureaucracy to promote his hidden agenda. He operated through like-minded officers and embarked upon the disastrous course that eventually plunged the state into a dangerous crisis.
By the time NN Vohra stepped in the prestige and image of the governor’s office had taken several hits. Sinha and Vohra present two contrasting pictures. The latter has quietly sought to undo the damage caused by the former and won many friends. Given the sensitive ground situation in J&K, even the ceremonial office of governor has an important role to play. It was here that Sinha was found wanting. The message behind Sinha’s latest assertion, refuted or not, fits his familiar profile. By justifying his role in the Amarnath land row even while denying direct involvement in it the former governor has once again highlighted the need for New Delhi to be more careful about choosing its next man in the Rajbhavan. More so, as successors to Vohra are already being discussed.