Hope Centre will restore J&K statehood: Dy CM

Srinagar, Sep 5: Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Saturday expressed hope that the Centre would fulfil its commitment to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, saying Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had raised the issue during his recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of an event in Jammu, Choudhary said the Chief Minister raises all major issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir whenever he meets the Prime Minister, Home Minister or other Union ministers in New Delhi. He said Omar Abdullah’s recent meeting with Shah covered several issues, including restoration of statehood, rationalisation of the reservation system, finalisation of the Rules of Business and the proposed first international film fair in Srinagar.
Choudhary said he was hopeful that the Union Home Minister would fulfil the commitment made before Parliament, the Supreme Court and the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He said failure to restore statehood would, in his view, amount not only to a breach of promise made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir but also to Parliament and the judiciary.
On the ongoing strike by MBBS interns, which began on August 31, the Deputy Chief Minister said the government was examining the matter comprehensively. He said the issue involved several considerations and could not be addressed through an immediate announcement without taking the broader situation into account. Choudhary said the protesting doctors were from Jammu and Kashmir and were treating people, adding that doctors occupied an important position in society and their demands were being taken seriously by the government.
Reacting to the BJP’s protest against the government in Srinagar on September 2, Choudhary described it as “drama” by the opposition party and alleged that the protest at Lal Chowk was aimed at diverting attention from issues confronting the people of Jammu. He challenged BJP leaders to address the concerns of Jammu residents directly and interact with people at places such as Ghanta Ghar and Shalamar Road in Jammu.
Choudhary said Lal Chowk was a historic symbol of democracy, but alleged that the BJP leadership had gone there merely to seek public sympathy and mislead people. He claimed that several sections of society in Jammu were facing difficulties, including transporters, hoteliers, industrialists and unemployed youth.
The Deputy Chief Minister also questioned the posting of senior officers from Jammu and Kashmir to other states and Union Territories, asking why qualified local officers could not be given important assignments within the Union Territory. He said Jammu and Kashmir had several capable local IPS officers who could shoulder key responsibilities.
Choudhary also questioned appointments to universities and other higher educational institutions, asking why eligible people from Jammu and Kashmir were not being considered for important positions such as directors and vice-chancellors. He said the issue was not limited to the posting of officers but was also linked to the aspirations of young professionals and government employees from Jammu and Kashmir.
He said officers from Jammu and Kashmir were serving in different states and Union Territories across the country, and questioned why they could not be appointed as deputy commissioners and to other important positions in their own region. (KNS)