Srinagar: In a significant development, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured all possible support to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in restoring statehood to the union territory in the wake of Article 370 abrogation, sources said.
Omar on Wednesday called on the Home Minister at the latter's residence in New Delhi in his first visit to the national capital after being sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir earlier this month.
Sources privy with the meeting which lasted for around half an hour, told ETV Bharat that the meeting took place in a “cordial manner” during which matters concerning Jammu and Kashmir were discussed threadbare. The Union Home Minister assured all possible support to the J&K CM in the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir union territory, sources said.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in Delhi. Many crucial matters related to J&K were discussed. pic.twitter.com/g4641UIv06
— JKNC (@JKNC_) October 23, 2024
It is learnt that the J&K Chief Minister also presented a resolution approved by the newly elected government at the maiden cabinet meeting demanding statehood restoration to the union territory, to the Union Home Minister.
Omar, who is on a visit to New Delhi, met union minister Nitin Gadkari on the second day of his visit on Thursday. The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference said that "many crucial matters related to J&K" were discussed at Wednesday's meeting between CM Omar Abdullah and Home Minister Amit Shah.
"Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in Delhi. Many crucial matters related to J&K were discussed," the JKNC wrote in a post on its official X handle.
While the NC is seeking to project statehood restoration as an achievement, opposition PDP has accused the grand-old-party of ratifying the Article 370 abrogation and scaling down from the demand to restore special status under the article.
NC chief spokesperson and newly elected legislator Tanvir Sadiq confirmed to ETV Bharat that the meeting discussed the restoration of statehood besides other issues.
“With regard to the meeting of CM Omar Abdullah with different ministers and of course with the Prime Minister, the meeting not only involves the statehood restoration but many other crucial issues that concern Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Asked about the headway on statehood, Sadiq, who is also a close aide to Abdullah, said, "Let's wait and watch. Let him meet the Prime Minister and other ministers. He has gone with a resolution (on restoration of statehood) that the cabinet passed (to Delhi),” he added.
"The fact is that J&K was a prosperous state before 2019 and we want that any development should happen through the popular government and that’s the beauty of democracy. The people choose their elected representatives and that’s how the government is made," added Sadiq.
According to him, the National Conference led government should be given a chance to serve people and ‘there should be ‘no hindrance from anywhere’.
Previously, both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have promised restoration of statehood without fixing a deadline.The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea seeking restoration of the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The application was filed by academician Zahoor Ahmad and Khurshid Malik.
In Jammu, BJP leader Ravinder Raina said the central and state governments should hold discussion on restoration of statehood together as it is a "sensitive" issue.
"People's security is very important. The Government will run and development will happen only if there is peace and prosperity here, if there is terrorism and extremism, people would suffer. With a lot of effort PM Modi and Amit Shah improved the situation here. Therefore, no policy or decisions should be taken in haste," said Raina.
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