Restoration of J&K’s statehood becomes new slogan

Suhail Khan

SRINAGAR, July 26: With revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status set to complete one year, political parties have maintained silence on this issue and are instead seeking restoration of J&K’s sattehood.

National Conference patron and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Sunday called for restoration of its statehood and hoped the Supreme Court would render justice by striking down the repeal of Article 370 provisions.

He said that his party would continue to contest the changes through all democratic means.

Similarly, Bhartiya Janta Party is also seeking restoration of J&K’s statehood.

“Some people want to divide Jammu and Kashmir but we won’t let that happen. BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav has said that statehood should return to Jammu and Kashmir. We hope the government will consider it,” senior BJP leader from J&K and former MLC Sofi Yusuf told KINS.

Yusuf said BJP has been strengthening its base in Kashmir. “We are hopeful to win over 20 seats in assembly elections after delimitation,” he added.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has also demanded restoration of statehood followed by assembly elections to J&K during his meeting with Prime Minister Narinder Modi on Friday evening.

Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) president Altaf Bukhari demanded that statehood of J&K should be restored on August 5, when it was split last year into two Union Territories.

Bukhari said the party will continue its fight for the restoration of statehood which was snatched last year. (KINS)

Related Articles