National Conference to protest at Jantar Mantar demanding restoration of Jammu and Kashmir statehood Says DyCM

JAMMU, JULY 08: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary announced on Wednesday that the ruling National Conference will stage a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 20 to press the Center for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking to reporters in the Nowshera area of Rajouri district, Choudhary urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to honor the assurances given to the public before the 2024 assembly elections, questioning why this particular commitment remains unfulfilled when several others have been met. He emphasized that full statehood is not a political demand to benefit the Omar Abdullah-led government but a necessity to allow the administration to function independently, tackle rampant unemployment, and effectively address public hardships.

Choudhary highlighted that while Jammu and Kashmir possesses the developmental requirements of a full-fledged state, it currently receives financial allocations limited to its Union Territory status, creating severe budget constraints.

He criticized the BJP for failing to restore statehood despite repeated promises, pointing out that the elected government has been operational for 18 months without the authority to even appoint daily wagers. Addressing allegations regarding regularizations and backdoor appointments, the Deputy Chief Minister countered that such issues, along with a dependency on unstable outsourcing systems, actually originated during the previous BJP-PDP dispensation.

He also raised concerns over past irregularities in the Jal Jeevan Mission, alleging that substandard plastic pipes were used instead of iron pipes, and called upon the public and media to collectively support the demand for statehood to accelerate regional development.