Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Additional General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan on Wednesday criticised the delay in restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, describing it as a departure from democratic commitments and constitutional assurances.
Addressing party functionaries at the National Conference headquarters, Nawa-e-Subha, in Srinagar, Ramzan said the prolonged delay had reduced the elected government to what he termed a subordinate administrative arrangement, undermining the political aspirations of the people.
He said the large voter turnout in the Assembly elections reflected public support for democratic governance and strengthened the case for restoring full statehood to the Union Territory.
“If Jammu and Kashmir is to be treated at par with other units of the Union, then the continued downgrade of its political status is indefensible,” Ramzan said. He argued that the present Union Territory framework was inadequate to address the region’s social, political and administrative complexities.
The Rajya Sabha member said Jammu and Kashmir, which previously enjoyed full statehood, was now functioning under a diluted political structure that did not adequately reflect its diversity and governance requirements.
Ramzan also said assurances regarding restoration of statehood, made in Parliament and reiterated on several occasions, should be fulfilled without further delay. He urged the Centre to act on its commitments, stating that prolonged inaction could weaken public trust in constitutional promises.
