Jammu, Oct 11: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Saturday accused the BJP-led Centre of lacking sincerity on the long-pending promise to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and said the people of the Union Territory now pin their hopes on the Supreme Court to deliver justice. Speaking to reporters during an inspection of repair work in Bhagwati Nagar, where flash floods in August badly damaged the approach to the fourth bridge over the Tawi, Choudhary said New Delhi’s assurances ring hollow and judicial intervention appears the only realistic path to reclaim full statehood.
“If we leave this matter to them, they will never do it. They have destroyed J&K,” he told the media, responding to the apex court’s recent move to seek the Centre’s response within four weeks on petitions calling for restoration of statehood. Choudhary argued that the court, historically a guarantor of rights, should “hear the heartbeats of the people and not the politicians” and act decisively as it has on electoral and democratic issues in the past.
The deputy chief minister accused the BJP of resorting to “lollipop politics,” symbolic gestures aimed at creating optics rather than solving entrenched problems pointing to the party’s demand for a report card on the National Conference government as it completes its first year in office. He said the people continue to face the same core problems that successive administrations failed to resolve: regularisation of daily-wagers, chronic unemployment and unspent or unaccounted development funds. “We are seeking restoration of statehood for the people of J&K so that the dual system of governance ends and administration improves,” he said, insisting that the demand was not for the NC’s political gain but to strengthen governance for all residents.
On infrastructure, Choudhary assured commuters that work to restore the damaged Tawi approach road and the Panjtirthi link between Jammu city and Sidhra would be completed soon. He conveyed empathy for those affected by the floods and outlined plans to expedite repairs to restore daily life and connectivity.
The deputy chief minister also touched upon matters of governance and accountability. He called for transparent probes into alleged irregularities, citing a Rs 28,000 crore industrial package for the UT whose utilisation remains unclear, and raising concerns about rampant illegal mining that, he said, must be investigated at the highest levels. He accused the Lieutenant Governor’s office of bottlenecking files sent by the Omar Abdullah-led cabinet, including crucial business rules, and of excessive interference in officer transfer practices, he said undermines the elected government’s mandate.
Addressing his earlier public comments about a downgrade in his security cover, Choudhary adopted a conciliatory tone and appealed for equal treatment: “If you feel Surinder Choudhary does not need security and the situation has improved, withdraw my security along with that of other leaders BJP, Congress, PDP alike. I do not need any special favour.” He urged the Lt Governor to end what he called the “fashion” of assigning multiple personal security officers to protected persons.
Rejecting any prospect of alliance with the BJP, Choudhary stressed the sanctity of the electorate’s choice: “The people of J&K have given the National Conference their mandate. Let them do whatever they want by not clearing files or creating obstacles,we will not bow before them. We will sacrifice the government rather than become their partners.”