Statehood won’t return through Jantar Mantar protest: Darakhshan

Budgam, Jul 16: Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board Chairperson Dr Darakhshan Andrabi on Thursday said the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir would not come through political protests at Jantar Mantar, alleging that the National Conference was attempting to divert public attention from what she termed its governance failures.
Speaking to reporters at Makhama in Magam area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district, Andrabi said the National Conference’s proposed protest in New Delhi would have no bearing on the restoration of statehood.
“Statehood will not return through a protest at Jantar Mantar,” she said.
The Waqf Board chairperson alleged that the ruling party has failed to fulfil the promises it made to the people and was now trying to shift the public discourse by organising demonstrations.
“The National Conference is staging this protest to divert the attention of the people from its failures,” Andrabi alleged.
Referring to repeated statements made by the Union Government, Andrabi said both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have publicly committed to the restoration of statehood.
“The Prime Minister and the Home Minister have already stated and assured that statehood will be restored. It will return, but not because of a protest at Jantar Mantar,” she said.
The National Conference has announced a protest in New Delhi seeking the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, a move that has drawn differing reactions from various political parties in the Union Territory. [KNT]