Srinagar: Prominent academician and former vice chancellor of Jammu University Professor Amitabh Mattoo tendered his resignation as advisor to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday.
Reasons for his abrupt resignation were not immediately clear but sources in the state government told News18 it could be related to a senior bureaucrat “mocking” him at a government meeting.
A source in the Chief Minister’s office admitted that Mattoo has tendered his resignation but said the CM was trying to persuade him to stay back.
Mattoo refused to comment on the development but told News18 that he will get back on the issue.
Mattoo, whose family is close to the Muftis for many decades, was named as an advisor to Mehbooba with the status of a cabinet minister in April earlier this year. He also served as advisor to chief minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, who died on January 7.
However, in just seven months of time working with Mehbooba, Matoo has felt it is the time to call it a day working with Mehbooba’s style of politics.
Matoo, however, has said there is no political or administrative reason for my decision to step down. There was also no official word about his resignation and it wasn’t even clear if the CM has accepted his resignation.
“I have resigned as I feel I need more time to devote to academics. Politics has never been my career or ambition. I also genuinely believe I can serve the people of my country and state better by continuing my academic journey. Kindly don’t try to attribute any political motive to my decision,” he has said.
But the sudden resignation of Matoo from the J&K government opens the curtains of crisis in the government and hints that all is not going well. Sources disclosed that Matoo was not happy with Mehbooba’s style of politics especially about the handling of the current uprising in Kashmir Valley and BJPs dominant role in some sensitive decision makings.
Matoo, who has formerly served as Vice-Chancellor of Jammu University, according to his close aides will be leaving for Australia in a few days to pursue a career in academics.
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