J&K would regain Statehood very soon: Meghwal
Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal on Tuesday raised hopes among the people of Jammu and Kashmir by stating that the restoration of statehood to the region would happen soon.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar after attending an event at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre, Meghwal described the matter as a “very sensitive issue” but reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment.
Citing Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s earlier assurance in the Lok Sabha that statehood would be restored, adding: “You will get it, but there is a process for it. I feel you will soon get to hear about a decision in this regard.”
The statement has reignited hopes in the Union Territory, which lost its statehood following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 and its reorganisation into two Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also attended the event alongside the Union Minister, responded cautiously, noting that no one in Jammu and Kashmir would be fully satisfied until statehood is restored, and expressed hope that the wait would not drag on much longer. “I heard on the sidelines that the Union Minister said that we will be hearing good news soon.
“It has been one and a half years of waiting. We hope we do not have to wait much longer,” Abdullah told reporters.
The chief minister said no one in Jammu and Kashmir will be satisfied till it is done. “The process is on, (though) it is taking longer. We were expecting to get it by now, but we have not got it yet. We have not given up hope, we are talking to the Centre on it continuously,” he added.
