23/07/2025
Shopian shuts down over Dy Ceo office relocation, Protesters call move ‘unjust’
Meer irfan
A complete shutdown is being observed in Shopian town today, with shops closed and roads nearly deserted, in response to a bandh call issued by political parties, civil society groups, and trade bodies protesting the government’s decision to shift the Deputy Chief Education Officer (Dy CEO) office from Shopian to Chitragam.
Locals told The Kashmiriyat that markets remain shuttered and vehicular movement is minimal since early morning.
The bandh, announced last week, followed an all-party meeting that saw rare political unity across the spectrum, from the PDP and Apni Party to the BJP and Congress, all opposing the relocation order.
The leaders termed the decision as “politically motivated” and “against administrative logic,” arguing that the move would cause unnecessary inconvenience to residents of Shopian and surrounding areas.
“The government must work to create new posts, not sn**ch existing ones from Shopian,” MLA Advocate Shabir Ahmad Kullay had said during the meeting. Echoing similar concerns, former MLA Aijaz Mir emphasized that the Dy CEO office could have been created separately in Chitragam without dismantling the existing setup in Shopian.
Critics argue that many rural schools still lack basic facilities, and the administration should have instead focused on creating new Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) posts in underrepresented areas like Kapran, Keller, and Zainapora.
Civil society members and the local Traders Union have warned of logistical hardships for parents, teachers, and education officials due to the shift. “This will only add to travel burdens and administrative delays,” a traders’ representative said.
The protestors have also reiterated other long-standing demands, including the creation of a separate mechanical division for Shopian and improved healthcare at the district hospital.
While the district braces for an extended protest, MLA Zainapora Showkat Hussain Ganaie has defended the decision, saying the move is purely academic. “The Dy CEO does not deal with the public nor hold DDO powers. This is being done to strengthen supervision in Zainapora, Chitragam, and Harmain,” he said.
As Shopian remains shut, protest leaders have formed a joint action committee and warned that if the government does not revoke the order, the agitation could intensify in the coming days.
