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Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary on Sunday accused the BJP of making excuses to fulfil its assurance of restoring statehood and said it should spell out a timeline.
Choudhary told reporters that 18 months have passed since the elections were held but statehood has not been restored. "Yesterday from Kashmir and today from Jammu, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have unitedly reminded the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister in one voice that you had promised us that you would restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Eighteen months have passed since the elections ended today, but that hasn't happened," he said. "The National Conference is fulfilling its responsibility, but the BJP is making excuses. Instead of making excuses, they should speak plainly and tell us when they will restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir?" he added. Jammu and Kashmir Sports Minister Satish Sharma said that the restoration of Statehood will not only strengthen the state but will also strengthen the nation. "I believe that they need to understand the pulse of the people and realise that the right which was snatched away from us must be restored. This will not only strengthen the state but will also strengthen India. It will boost the morale of the people, allowing them to confront the enemy nation with even greater courage and strength," he said. Earlier today, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has repeatedly made hollow promises of restoring the Statehood of Jammu and Kashmir. While addressing a National Conference rally on the Statehood demand ahead of the 'Delhi Chalo' protest, the Chief Minister called the BJP a "backdoor party", alleging that it breaks the ruling parties in States where they fail to secure a majority, using their conflicts as a 'backdoor' to enter the State. "PM Modi has always promised that Jammu and Kashmir's statehood will be given at the appropriate time. What will be the right time? First, you did delimitation. They want to get more seats through that. You (BJP) have broken so many parties. See Maharashtra, see West Bengal, see Punjab! BJP is a backdoor party. Where they can't get power through the front door, they try to get through the back door," he said. Following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, the Centre formed two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. In 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the move to abrogate Article 370, while not taking up the question of the restoration of statehood, as the Centre had submitted that it would be restored in due time. (ANI)
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