Bats for peace, restoration of Statehood to J-K
JAMMU: Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Wednesday emphasized that governance in India is determined by the will of the people, not by one’s family background. He said democracy in India has grown strong enough to empower anyone to rise to leadership based on merit and public trust, not lineage.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar after attending an event at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC), Khan confirmed that all arrangements were in place for the first phase of the Bihar assembly elections scheduled for Thursday. He described the polls as a celebration of democracy and said, “Tomorrow is polling day, and preparations have already been finalised. I am confident that democracy in our country has become very strong.”
Calling the polls a celebration of democracy, Khan said that one’s family background does not determine who can govern.
“The person who runs the government is chosen through the ballot box. They receive a mandate from the people of India and the states for a specific period. They are not sovereign; the people of this country are sovereign,” the governor remarked.
Khan highlighted the examples of President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting that their ascension to the highest offices in the country sends a powerful message: there are no limits to what anyone can achieve.
“What message does this send to the common man, especially to the youth? It demonstrates that we have a system where there are no restrictions on how high you can aspire to go. However, you must earn the people’s trust. After that, the sky is the limit,” he added.
When asked about the dual power system in Jammu and Kashmir under the Union Territory setup and the lack of restored statehood, Khan acknowledged that it is unfortunate for Kashmir to have endured such painful situations.
He referenced the partition of 1947, stating that while many have suffered, the people of Kashmir have paid the highest price.
The governor expressed that everyone, including the prime minister, desires peace in Jammu and Kashmir and wishes for the restoration of statehood.
“We cannot be complacent in thinking that trouble only arises in Kashmir. We are all concerned and desire normal conditions. As you pointed out (regarding statehood), this is the desire of everyone in India. The prime minister wants Kashmir to have the autonomy to decide for itself,” he said.
However, he added that normalcy must be established, “so that the situation here can also return to normal.”
“It is a collective effort between you and us to create conditions where the rule of law is upheld in the same manner in Kashmir as it is elsewhere,” he added.
