On Wednesday (October 24), India’s Home Minister Amit Shah met with the newly elected chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir to discuss crucial concerns.
According to media sources, Shah told Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that the union territory would soon be given statehood, fulfilling a commitment made to India’s Supreme Court.
News agency According to PTI, Abdullah, who was visiting the national capital for the first time since taking office, discussed UT security matters with home minister Shah. The meeting occurred after the Omar Abdullah government’s cabinet issued a resolution pressing the federal government to reinstate the territory’s statehood. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha endorsed the resolution.
The former state of Jammu and Kashmir was partitioned into two Union Territories in August 2019, following the repeal of Article 370, which granted the territory some autonomy.
Local Kashmiri leaders criticized Abdullah’s visit to Delhi.
Sajjad Lone, Chairman of the People’s Conference, stated that the question of statehood was simply a pretext for the Chief Minister.
“This gentleman fought an entire election, accusing almost everybody of being in league with these Lords. Statehood is just an excuse. To meet and greet the Lords,” Lone said.
He had also questioned the J&K government’s resolution on statehood, saying it was “shrouded in mystery and secrecy”. “We are not demanding or expecting anything extraordinary. Do what you promised the people of J&K in your manifesto,” Lone had said.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti had also voiced her opposition to the resolution, calling it “utter surrender” before New Delhi.
“Omar Abdullah’s first resolution on statehood is nothing less than ratification of the August 5, 2019 decision,” she said.
Baramulla MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh, alias Engineer Rashid, also expressed disappointment, saying the resolution’s focus on statehood only, without mentioning Article 370, is “very painful”.
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Source: Wion
