Kulgam: Taking a dig at the Modi government, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is also a part of the reformist G-23 group, on Saturday said that snatching the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir is like downgrading a chief minister to the post of MLA. .
“Usually, Union Territories are upgraded to State. But in our case, the State was downgraded to UT. It is like downgrading DGP to Thanedar, CM to MLA and Patwari to Chief Secretary No intelligent person can do that,” news agency ANI quoted Azad as saying during an event in Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
#Watch , In Kulgam, Kashmir, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad says, “Usually, Union Territories are upgraded to State. But in our case, the State was downgraded to UT. It is from Thanedar, CM to DGP. It’s like downgrading the post of MLA and Patwari to Chief Secretary. No intelligent person can do that.” pic.twitter.com/dSuSyCy48I
— ANI (@ANI) November 27, 2021
During the programme, Azad also pointed out that it was not possible to hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir during the next four months of winter.
The next four months are not possible for elections and even if they (Centre) wanted to, we would have said no, the veteran politician said at the all-party meeting (convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June) saying that the first state status should be restored and then delimited.
“But, the government did not accept it. So, they should finish the delimitation process by February and hold elections in April after winter is over,” he told reporters.
Azad also said that the priority was not who becomes the chief minister, but how to restore the status quo in Jammu and Kashmir on August 4, 2019.
He said, “The priority is not about the chief minister, it is not the issue. The priority is how to restore the status of August 4, 2019… which will be done by restoring statehood and then holding assembly elections.”
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Azad also emphasized that there is no fight for statehood in the Valley as Hindu brothers in Jammu, Sikhs, Muslims and even Pandits in Kashmir want statehood.
He said, “One should not assume that only Kashmiris want statehood, I have said continuously and even in all-party meeting that even BJP leaders want statehood. want.”
There is militancy in three districts of Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama, he said, adding that there is a need to create atmosphere in militancy-affected areas as people of such areas are worried and frustrated.
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