SRINAGAR, Oct 24: J&K Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) General Secretary Ashok Koul on Thursday said the final call on the restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir will be taken by the central government after the inputs of agencies.
Koul made these remarks on the sidelines of an event organised to pay homage to BJP leader Pandit Prem Nath Dogra on his death anniversary in Srinagar on Thursday.
However, Koul said “If Gagangir-like incidents remain happening, the authorities will decide the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir on the inputs of security agencies ”.
On October 20 in a deadly attack militants killed seven people including a doctor in a targeted attack on the construction site workers at Gagangir near the tourist resort of Sonamarg in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.
Koul said, “if they (agencies) feel it is an appropriate time, the statehood would be restored to Jammu and Kashmir”.
He said that both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have often said that the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir will be taken at an appropriate time.
Koul said it is a good thing that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has passed the resolution for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir in his first cabinet meeting as it was in his party manifesto and the Lieutenant Governor has approved that.
The Chief Minister Omar met the Union Home Minister Amit Shah Wednesday in Delhi and is likely to meet Prime Minister Modi who is coming after attending the BRICS meeting in Russia on Thursday.
“Omar has the right to put his demand before Prime Minister Narendra Modi”, Koul said.
The BJP leader said “To restore or not.. the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir will be decided by the central government. He said the security agencies who are working in Jammu and Kashmir will decide whether it is an appropriate time to restore the statehood or not”.
He said, “if there would not have been a difference in timing of the Gagangir attack, they (militants) could have killed hundreds of people there”.
In reply to a question, Kaul said that “Pakistan is spreading terrorism and there is no need to talk to them”.
“There is no need to talk to Pakistan who is spreading terrorism. Let them stop spreading terrorism and hand over the wanted terrorists who are hiding there, including Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Syed Salahudeen. We will talk to them”, he said. (Agencies)
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