NEW DELHI: BJP Rajya Sabha MP and the party’s Jammu and Kashmir in-charge, Tarun Chugh, has criticised the National Conference’s (NC) decision to hold a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on July 20 demanding the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
The protest has been announced despite Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 11, during which he reportedly sought early restoration of statehood.
Speaking at TNIE's Delhi Dialogues on Friday, Chugh alleged that the NC was raising the statehood issue to divert attention from its failure to fulfil election promises.
“What happened to the promises made to the people on issues like employment and others? The NC government has all departments except Home. It has failed to deliver on its promises and is now trying to divert people’s attention by raising a demand that the Modi government has already assured will be addressed at an appropriate time,” he said.
And yet, the NC government is prioritising politics over governance, he said, alleging that the party was attempting to shift the political narrative instead of focusing on development and administration.
Responding to a question, Chugh said the Narendra Modi-led government remained committed to the development of both Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. He claimed that the Centre’s initiatives had led to significant improvements in infrastructure and overall development across the region.
The National Conference, which is in power in Jammu and Kashmir, has written to 52 political and religious leaders across the country, inviting them to join the July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar in support of restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
Targeting the NC’s planned demonstration, Chugh alleged that the “Gupkar gang” was trying to revive what he called a settled issue. He also questioned Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over the implementation of the party’s election manifesto.
“Omar Abdullah has forgotten the promises made in the manifesto. Has even a single promise been fulfilled so far? He has failed to deliver on those commitments and is now diverting people’s attention,” Chugh said.
Claiming that Jammu and Kashmir had entered a new phase of “peace, tourism, development and transparency,” Chugh credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the changes. “Thanks to the efforts of PM Modi, tourism is back on track, and peace and development are clearly visible across J&K,” he said.
Reiterating the Centre’s stand, Chugh said the government remained committed to ensuring all constitutional rights for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, including the restoration of statehood, at an appropriate time.
