Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary has warned that the ruling National Conference would launch a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi if the Centre failed to fulfil its promise of restoring statehood to the Union Territory.
Choudhary said the demand for restoration of statehood was the key resolution adopted during the recent party meeting at Dachigam in Srinagar and would remain the party’s foremost political agenda.
“If the Government of India does not fulfil its promise to Jammu and Kashmir and restore statehood, we will be compelled to stage a protest at Jantar Mantar and tell the nation that the promise made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir has not been honoured,” he told reporters here.
The National Conference leader’s warning came on 6 June, the day thousands of people gathered to join the protest organised by Abhishek Dipke’s Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over discrepensies in recent examinations including NEET and CBSE Class 12.
The erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised into the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government has promised the return of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Choudhary said the Centre had assured the people of Jammu and Kashmir that statehood would be restored after the Assembly elections, but despite the passage of nearly two years since the formation of the government, the promise remains unfulfilled.
He alleged that the delay in restoring statehood has adversely impacted development and employment prospects in the region.
“Unemployment remains a major concern, development-related issues are pending and people continue to face problems related to basic services such as water and electricity. Jammu and Kashmir is not receiving funding at the level of a full-fledged state,” Choudhary said.
Referring to the National Conference’s future course of action, he said the proposed protest in Delhi forms part of a roadmap prepared by party president Farooq Abdullah.
“The first step in that roadmap is to take our demand to Delhi and raise the issue before the entire nation,” he said.
Choudhary said the party would seek support from all opposition parties and would also invite the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir to join the proposed agitation.
“If the BJP genuinely stands with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, it should join the protest. If it does not, the people will draw their own conclusions,” he said.
If the Government of India does not fulfil its promise to Jammu and Kashmir and restore statehood, we will be compelled to stage a protest at Jantar Mantar.
He added that the proposed demonstration would serve as a test of which political parties genuinely support the interests of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly its unemployed youth, and are committed to securing their rights and opportunities.
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