GoI should restore statehood to J&K immediately after assembly polls: Azad

Demands thermal power projects for J&K

Anantnag, Mar 04  : Former Chief Minister and Chairman of Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday said the Government of India must restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir immediately after the assembly elections.

As per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), speaking to reporters in the Aishmuqam area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, following a public rally, Azad said both the Prime Minister and Home Minister had pledged in the Parliament that the statehood will be restored to Jammu and Kashmir after the assembly elections.

While the government had not specified a timeline for the restoration, it should be done without delay, he said, adding that the Prime Minister should address issues like continuous power outages in the Union Territory.

“What is the fun of installing advanced technology like 4G or 10G networks when basic infrastructure like electricity is lacking,” the DPAP chief said. He urged Prime Minister Modi to allocate resources for the construction of two thermal power projects with a combined capacity of 4000 MW for Jammu and Kashmir.

The former CM expressed disappointment with the lack of progress in addressing the electricity issue, despite the BJP’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir for the past decade. “The government must pay immediate attention to resolve this common problem faced by the people of the region,” he said.

Azad also criticised the neighbouring country for its “inability” to manage their own affairs. “How can anyone expect them to resolve issues in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said—(KNO)