PM Will Honour Commitment on J&K Statehood Restoration: Farooq Abdullah
NC chief says Centre has reiterated its commitment; party to press demand during Parliament's monsoon session
SRINAGAR, Jun 10: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that the Union Government remains committed to restoring statehood to the Union Territory.
Speaking to reporters in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, Abdullah expressed confidence that the Centre would honour the commitment and implement the long-pending promise at an appropriate time.
He said the assurance was recently conveyed by the Prime Minister to the Chief Minister, reiterating the government’s stated position on the issue. According to Abdullah, the people of Jammu and Kashmir continue to await the fulfilment of that commitment.
Commenting on the delay in the approval of business rules for the Jammu and Kashmir administration, the National Conference leader said the party’s primary concern extends beyond administrative procedures and centres on the restoration of full statehood.
Abdullah maintained that the demand remains a key political issue and recalled that the commitment had been made publicly by the Centre on several occasions. He said the party expects concrete progress on the matter in line with those assurances.
The remarks come amid renewed political activity by the ruling National Conference, which has been consistently advocating the return of statehood since the formation of the elected government in the Union Territory.
To intensify its campaign, the party has announced plans to hold a protest in New Delhi on the opening day of Parliament’s monsoon session. The demonstration is aimed at drawing national attention to the issue and urging the Centre to take an early decision.
The proposal for the protest was finalised during a meeting of National Conference legislators chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on June 3. Party leaders discussed future strategy and resolved to continue pressing for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional status as a state.
Political observers view the latest statement as part of the National Conference’s broader effort to keep the statehood issue at the centre of public discourse while seeking a timeline from the Centre for its implementation.
