Urges Centre to Fulfil Repeated Promises, Restore Democratic Rights
Diplomat Correspondent
Srinagar, (DD) Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday welcomed the Congress party’s latest appeal to the central government for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, saying it is time for New Delhi to act on its repeated assurances.
Reacting to a joint letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Omar said the demand for statehood was both justified and long overdue.
“This is a positive and much-needed step. I thank Kharge ji and Rahul ji for raising the statehood issue again. We are not asking for anything new—just what was promised to us multiple times,” Omar stated.
He called on the Union Government to honour its commitments made in Parliament, on public platforms, and even before the Supreme Court, adding, “The people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve the restoration of their democratic rights and full statehood.”
In their letter, the Congress leaders urged the Prime Minister to introduce legislation in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament to restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. They also sought constitutional safeguards for Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule to protect the region’s unique cultural and demographic identity(DD)