On a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was meeting the Kashmir leaders Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday questioned the BJP Government’s decision to downgrade Jammu and Kashmir into to a Union Territory saying the act had brought bad name for India worldwide.
Banerjee said, “What was the need to strip Jammu and Kashmir of statehood? People need freedom. If freedom is taken away, then everything is lost. It is not beneficial for the country,” adding how the situation that followed after it lost its statehood hit its tourism industry.”
She said (as a result of the situation) “no tourist was able to visit Kashmir for the last two years” and attacked the BJP for running an “autocratic” regime. “Just like the vaccine crisis, this autocracy has also defamed the country,” she said.
Curiously Banerjee would not raise the question of Article 370 or 35A, which ensured special status for the Himalayan region.
In a separate development the Chief Minister also announced the launching of Rs 10 lakh credit card for the students of the State that would enable them to pursue their higher studies.
“The students are our pride… in order to help them in their higher studies and researches the Government has decided to afford them a credit card facility of Rs 10 lakh … the Government will stand a guarantor for them and the scheme will start from June 30 onwards,” the Chief Minister said on Thursday adding the scheme would continue for the students till the age of 40 where after they would be required to return the loan after getting jobs.”
Meanwhile the Chief Minister has also written to the Prime Minister seeking urgent steps to ensure that Covaxin got the approval of the World Health Organisation. Covaxin is still not accepted in several countries.
“I have written to the Hon'ble PM today seeking his intervention for an early approval for COVAXIN from WHO,” the Chief Minister tweeted adding how “A large number of students travel abroad for pursuing higher studies and amid an already critical situation, we must take every possible step to ease their lives.”
In her letter to the Prime Minister written on Thursday the Chief Minister wrote, “I request for your kind intervention so that an early approval is received for Covaxin from WHO and students do not face any problem. This will also benefit people travelling abroad for job, business, education and any other purpose.”