Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 6: As Union Home Minister Amit Shah embarks on his three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Rattan Lal Gupta (Adv), Provincial president of JKNC, has issued a strong statement urging the Centre not to undermine the democratic mandate and aspirations of the people.
He questioned the prolonged delay in the restoration of Statehood without reasons, especially when the Government itself continues to claim that normalcy has been restored in the region.
In a press statement issued here today, the senior NC leader questioned the intent behind the delay in fulfilling the promise made repeatedly by the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister on multiple occasions. “If Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were conducted nearly five months ago in a peaceful and participative manner, then what more does the Centre need as a benchmark of normalcy?” he asked.
The senior NC leader said that denying Statehood to a region that has already demonstrated its commitment to peace and democratic values is an affront to the people’s mandate. “Amit Shah must remember the repeated assurances given on the floor of Parliament and at public forums about the restoration of Statehood. It is time to walk the talk,” he stated.
The Provincial president emphasized that the absence of complete Statehood has created a dual power structure that is both confusing and counterproductive. “This arrangement has led to administrative chaos and undermined the authority of the democratically elected Government, resulting in policy paralysis and developmental stagnation,” he said.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir have shown immense courage and resilience by reposing their trust in democratic institutions in the recently held Assembly elections. They deserve a full-fledged State with an accountable Government, not a fragmented setup dictated by bureaucratic control from the Centre,” he remarked.
The senior NC leader urged the Home Minister to use this visit as an opportunity to announce a clear and time-bound roadmap for the restoration of full Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
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