Says “Verbal Assurances Made In Parliament, Supreme Court Not Fulfilled yet”
Srinagar | September, 17: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated on Thursday that restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir would be the most appropriate announcement on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday, recalling that the region was repeatedly promised statehood following delimitation and elections. Extending his birthday wishes to the Prime Minister in Amritsar, the Chief Minister emphasized that fulfilling this core commitment remains the top priority for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“If nothing else, give us the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir. What else do we need?” Omar Abdullah stated, reiterating that J&K fulfilled all prerequisite steps, including participating enthusiastically in elections. “We were told that statehood would be restored to Jammu and Kashmir after the elections, but nothing was put in writing. Assurances were given verbally, even in Parliament and the Supreme Court,” reports quoted him as saying. He advised leaders in Ladakh to secure all central commitments in writing rather than relying on verbal promises. Addressing the proposed UPI merchant discount rate (MDR) charges, he clarified that costs would fall solely on larger businesses facilitating transactions over Rs 2,000 without burdening standard consumers or person-to-person transfers.
