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J&K statehood may be restored in October: MoS Ramdas Athawale
Athawale, who is visiting Kashmir, said he was briefed about the ground situation by J&K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha
Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment, Ramdas Athawale on Thursday said the Centre could restore Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood before October, while assembly elections may be held later the same month.
Athawale, who is visiting Kashmir, said he was briefed about the ground situation by lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha, adding, “He provided me with a complete picture. There is peace in J&K, although there are occasional disturbances. However, the common man is relieved. After the revocation of Article 370, 2.11 lakh tourists have come here (in 2023) including foreigners. People are not afraid now.”
The Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra viewed the high voter turnout in Jammu and Kashmir in the recent Lok Sabha elections positively, saying, “It is a matter of pride for us and I thank the people of Jammu and Kashmir for strengthening the democracy here.”
Giving further hope to the people, he said statehood, which was ended with the revocation of Article 370 in 2019, can be restored even before October this year.
“And soon, as Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand elections are happening in October, perhaps the statehood can be announced even before October here, and elections can be held in October,” he said.
The minister said the restoration of statehood was announced by Union home minister Amit Shah when the article 370 was effectively revoked. “Shah had announced that the PM Modi government will soon hold assembly elections and J&K will get its statehood,” he said.
The minister’s statement comes as a team of Election Commission of India led by chief election commissioner Rajeev Kumar is in Jammu and Kashmir to meet officials and political leaders before finalising dates for the assembly polls. The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30, 2024.
“I appeal to people to come out to vote in good numbers, 70-80%. There is good development in J&K. there should be record breaking voting,” the minister, who is also president of the Republic Party of India, said.
Giving a briefing of his ministry’s achievements in J&K, Athawale said that over 2 lakh pre and post-matric scholarships have been provided to SC students and above 84000 scholarships to OBC students in J&K.
He said that they were planning to have one old age home in each district augmenting the existing 16 old age homes in J&K – six in Jammu and 10 in Kashmir.
