Restore J&K Statehood At Earliest, Congress Leader G A Mir Tells Centre

Congress leader G A Mir on Sunday questioned the delay in restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, saying the Centre had yet to fulfil its commitment, while BJP leader Ravinder Raina asserted that the promise would be honoured.

Speaking at the fifth 'Halla Bolle' conclave organised by a news portal here, Mir said political parties had contested the elections on the basis of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assurance that the Centre would engage with elected representatives and restore statehood “as early as possible” after the polls.

“This is a gentleman's word. This is the word of the Prime Minister of India,” said Mir, who is also a member of the J&K Legislative Assembly. He pointed out that two years had passed since the June 24, 2024 all-party meeting with Modi, but statehood had not been restored.

Mir alleged that the absence of statehood had created dual power centres, affecting governance and delaying administrative decisions.

“Files and proposals are moving from one office to another, creating unnecessary delays and leaving the administration without the authority to take timely decisions. Ultimately, it is the people who are suffering,” he said.

Calling for restoration of statehood at the earliest, Mir said there should be a single, accountable government so that responsibility for decisions could be fixed.

Raina, a former J&K BJP president, assured people that statehood would be restored as promised by the Centre, stressing that his party was also in favour of it.

Rejecting the claim that the J&K chief minister was powerless, Raina said the elected government had financial and budgetary powers and the authority needed to address people's concerns.

He also claimed that the security situation had improved significantly since August 2019, allowing people to travel freely and stay out late without frequent checks or restrictions.

However, some participants challenged Raina's assessment and questioned whether the situation on the ground had improved to the extent claimed.