The National Conference on Wednesday revived the demand for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and statehood, returning to politicking weeks after it said it would not use the Pahalgam terror attack to press for statehood.
The NC’s working committee on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution reaffirming its steadfast commitment to the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, which was scrapped by the Narendra Modi government in August 2019.
“The committee iterated that this is central to the aspirations and dignity of the people and must be addressed without further delay and we will continue to fight for its restoration,” the party said.
The other six resolutions condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between India and Pakistan and called for sustained peace and dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir.
The party also lauded the people of Jammu and Kashmir for their overwhelming and spontaneous condemnation of the terror attack and their hospitality towards the stranded tourists.
“The committee called upon the government of India to recognise and respect this powerful expression of solidarity and not squander the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity extended by the people of Jammu and Kashmir. It further cautioned that arbitrary arrests, harassment of youth, targeted use of bulldozers, and intimidation of legitimate media voices will only alienate the very people who have stood firmly for peace and against violence,” one of the resolutions said.
The NC urged the Centre to restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir immediately, “as promised on the floor of Parliament and repeatedly echoed in the public domain and also as committed by the constitution bench of the Supreme Court”.
The party condemned the targeted harassment of Kashmiri students, traders and residents across the country following the Pahalgam carnage.
Job promise
One member of each family that lost a loved one in the recent cross-border shelling in Jammu and Kashmir will be given a government job, lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha said on Wednesday, assuring the affected people that their proper rehabilitation remains a top priority.