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Kiren Rijiju reiterates Centre’s resolve to restore statehood to J&K in due course
The Union minister, while addressing a press conference in Srinagar on budget, in reply to question on restoration of J&K’s statehood said that the Prime Minister and the home minister made clear indications in the past that in due course of time, statehood will be restored to Jammu and Kashmir
Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah has promised that the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir will be restored in due course of time. However, he declined to give a timeline for the restoration.
The Union minister, while addressing a press conference in Srinagar on budget, in reply to question on restoration of J&K’s statehood said that the Prime Minister and the home minister made clear indications in the past that in due course of time, statehood will be restored to Jammu and Kashmir. “This time, I can only say that Jammu and Kashmir is a Union Territory currently and the lieutenant governor is the administrative head of the UT besides we have an elected government here which is running successfully.”
Rijiju, who holds the parliamentary affairs and minority affairs portfolios, said that the Waqf Bill (Amendment) won’t pose any threat to Muslim properties and claimed that NDA partners along with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and Andhra Pradesh’s CM Chandra Babu Naidu are on board, including many Muslim Parliament members, who support this bill. “By passing of the Waqf Bill (Amendment) there will be more transparency and no properties of Muslims will be taken away.”
Talking about the Union Budget 2025-26, Rijiju said, “The budget has laid the foundation for a developed India by 2047, with special focus on the middle class, farmers, women, and small-scale industries.”
The Union minister said the budget allocation for J&K is according to Union Territory...“ The finance minister has made it clear that the capacity to spend that money is being made available. Apart from that, whatever you need, that will be fulfilled,” he said.
The minister also said that there was relief for horticulture farmers and handicraft artisans of Jammu and Kashmir in the Budget.
“I believe after this budget the small scale industries of Jammu and Kashmir will see a big revolution” he said adding that a big exhibition would be conducted in the Kashmir valley in the coming three to four months where the artisans could display their products and sell them easily.
“Also an exhibition was being established in Delhi for which the concerned department is bearing all travel boarding and lodging expenses.”
