Srinagar, Jun 19: National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah has said that the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood is not a concession but a constitutional right.
Addressing a meeting of NC workers in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Wednesday, the former chief minister called for an immediate return to full democratic authority in the region.
“Restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood is not a concession but a constitutional right. Statehood is not a gift, it is the people’s right, long overdue and repeatedly promised by the ruling government,” he said.
Abdullah assured party workers that the NC government in Jammu and Kashmir is prioritising these challenges.
He also criticised the union territory status of Jammu and Kashmir as a bottleneck to real governance.
“J&K is vast, not just in land but in its layered culture. Governing it under the limited framework of a union territory is like trying to fly a kite without wind,” he said.
Later, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his father, Dr Farooq Abdullah, travelled on the recently inaugurated Vande Bharat train from Srinagar to Katra on Thursday and were received by National Conference leaders and workers here.Jammu food guide
Omar, accompanied by the NC chief and his advisor Nasir Aslam Wani, arrived at the Katra railway station this morning, officials said.
On June 10, Farooq Abdullah made his maiden journey on the train from Srinagar to Katra and said he was overwhelmed to see Kashmir finally getting connected to the country’s rail network.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra–Srinagar Vande Bharat Express on June 6 during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir, after visiting the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra station.
Statehood to J&K ‘not a concession’ but constitutional right: Dr Farooq Abdullah
