Owais Gul
Srinagar, Aug 6: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said he has written to opposition parties to raise the issue of restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood in the ongoing monsoon session of the parliament.
Talking to reporters, Omar said that he had approached parties with a significant number of members in Parliament, seeking their support in pushing for the promised restoration of statehood, so that the bill can be passed in the current session.
“This is not about any particular party or government, but about the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The promise was made in Parliament as well as in the Supreme Court,” he said.
He added that the government had promised early restoration of statehood, but much time has passed since then. “Had the Supreme Court not ordered time-bound elections, I would not be speaking to you today as the Chief Minister,” Omar said, while welcoming the Supreme Court’s upcoming hearing on the matter scheduled for August 08.
Omar reiterated that statehood must be restored now—either by the government or through the court.
Notably, Omar has sought the support exactly six years after the Centre nullified Articles 370 and 35-A, and bifurcated the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories.
Responding to a query, he noted that number of tourists visiting J&K is on the rise. “The situation is not what it was on April 22. The Amarnath Yatra was conducted peacefully, with a footfall of 4 lakh pilgrims. We hope people from across the country will now visit J&K to experience the hospitality here,” he added. (KNO)
