Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Lone on Friday said delay of even a moment in granting statehood is a sin against the people of J and K.
Lone, who is an MLA from Handwara in north Kashmir, in a long post on X said, “Statehood is our right not charity that the union government will think upon or ponder.”
“Irrespective of the political differences that we have here amongst us, the union government needs to move fast on some issues. Delay of even a moment in granting statehood is a sin against the people of J and K. Statehood is our right not charity that the union government will think upon or ponder. Why should they delay it. Why did they take it away in the first place,” Lone said.
Lone said the Supreme Court had left a question unanswered in disposing of the petition on Statehood.
“And may I ask the Supreme Court that in disposing off the petition on statehood, there is one question which they left unanswered. Was the relegation of a state to UT within the realm of law
or outside the realm of law. Why didn’t they answer this question. They did not endorse relegation
lest it becomes a precedence and yet we are still without a state,” he added.
Lone suggested that the J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah should be part of meeting related to the security as local inputs in strategising on security are indispensable
“In the interim until we get a state, the CM of J and K should be an inherent part of all meetings related to security. The local inputs in strategising on security are indispensable. Whosoever the CM is- the people of J and K have voted in huge numbers. And the UT status should not be used as an excuse to exclude the government from vital issues. The CM should be a part of all deliberations. Exclusion of the CM is tantamount to humiliating the entire electoral exercise,” Lone said.
On Omar Abdullah’s meetings in Delhi with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Lone said he had an “unsolicited” word of advice for CM.
“Wish you had not gone too far castigating everybody, accusing every one of colluding with BJP. That concept of untouchability, That self righteous drift and now a glorified cheerleader. That is a total comedown,” he said.
“We all know an elected CM has to work with centre. They have to go and meet the PM or other ministers. But there is a difference between constitutional duties and cheerleading.”
