The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, has cleared a resolution passed by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah-led cabinet earlier this week urging the central government to restore statehood to the Union Territory.
According to the officials, the LG has passed the resolution, and the Cabinet has empowered the Chief Minister to raise the issue with the Prime Minister and the Union government on the restoration of statehood.
“Though J&K is now a Union Territory, we will get back everything that was snatched from us. There is no need to be hopeless and no need be unhappy. We have five years with us. We will strive for our rights,” said Omar Abdullah during his visit to Jammu. He asserted that choosing deputy CM from Jammu was not any compulsion but an answer to those who labelled NC as muslim party, a Kashmir-centric party or a dynasty-run party.
The CM asserted that for a vibrant democracy media is important and promised that he will not trouble journalists even if they report against him. “We will rectify the problems in the accreditation of journalist and put all efforts to strengthen the institution,” said Abdullah.
The cabinet, in its meeting, had stated that protecting J&K’s unique identity and people’s constitutional rights remains the cornerstone of the newly elected government’s policies. “Restoration of statehood will be the beginning of a healing process,” the official statement read.
Earlier this week, the cabinet meeting chaired by Omar Abdullah passed a unanimous motion calling for the restoration of statehood in its original form. The passage of the statehood resolution without mentioning Article 370 has sparked severe condemnation from regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir, who have described the action as a ‘major setback’ and a failure to keep promises made by the NC during the election campaign.
The official spokesperson said that the Chief Minister would be proceeding to New Delhi in coming days to meet the Prime Minister and Union ministers in this regard.
The Cabinet also decided summoning of the Legislative Assembly at Srinagar on 4th of November 2024 and advised LG to summon and address the Legislative Assembly.
The draft address of the LG to the Legislative Assembly at the commencement of the first session was also placed before the Council of Ministers which the Council decided shall be further considered and discussed.
Meanwhile, the LG administered oath to Mubarak Gul of NC who has been appointed as Protem Speaker till the election of the Speaker is held. He will be administering oath to MLAs on October 21.
