J&K statehood will be restored at ‘appropriate time’: Ashok Koul

Gurez, Jun 24: Bharatiya Janata Party Jammu & Kashmir General Secretary (Organisation) Ashok Koul on Wednesday said the party has started preparations for upcoming panchayat elections. He reiterated that statehood would be restored to Union Territory at an “appropriate time”.
Speaking to reporters in Gurez, Koul said the BJP was working to strengthen its organisational base in the region and was gearing up for local body elections whenever they are announced.
“We have started preparing for the panchayat elections. Whenever the government decides to hold them, the party will contest with full preparation,” he said.
Koul targeted the Omar Abdullah-led government over the outsourcing of jobs, alleging irregularities in the recruitment process.
He claimed that around 24,000 jobs had been outsourced and questioned the transparency of the exercise.
“If appointments are to be made, they should be done through established recruitment agencies such as the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) and the Public Service Commission. We have opposed this outsourcing policy and will continue to raise our voice against it,” he said.
On the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP leader said both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have already committed to restoring statehood.
“We believe statehood should be restored. The Prime Minister and the Home Minister have said it will be restored at the appropriate time. That time has not come yet, but when it does, the people of Jammu and Kashmir will get statehood,” he said.
Referring to development projects, Koul said work on the Razdan Pass tunnel project would begin after completion of procedural formalities, including the detailed project report and tendering process.
He claimed that the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir had improved significantly, saying incidents such as stone-pelting had largely disappeared and normal life had returned across the region.
Koul was in Gurez to attend a programme organised by a local cultural centre and interact with party workers. (KNO)