Although the BJP-led government at the Centre repeatedly assured to grant statehood to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, former Chief Minister and president of the National Conference Dr. Farooq Abdullah is not convinced of getting the statehood back.
"I believe that the Union Government will not restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir", Dr. Abdullah said and added that the central government was just befooling people in the name of granting statehood.
Within days after airing apprehensions that the Union Government will give a truncated statehood after polls, former Chief Minister and National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah appeared to have lost hope of getting statehood back.
Lok Sabha member from Srinagar Dr. Farooq Abdullah charged the BJP-led government of the centre of playing a gimmick with the people on the issue of the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
"Centre doesn't want to restore statehood. It is all a gimmick to mislead us and the world. They won't give it," he said.
Earlier on February 15, Dr. Farooq Abdullah aired apprehensions that the Union Government will give a truncated statehood after polls.
Dr. Abdullah was reacting to the statement of Union Home Minister Amit Shah who stated on February 14 that the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir will come up after assembly polls and that a call on the timing of elections will be taken by the Election Commission.
"I had clearly stated that statehood will be restored in Jammu and Kashmir after elections", he said.
Reacting to Home Minister's statement, Dr. Farooq Abdullah said, "I think Union Government do not want to give us statehood. They will give truncated state after the elections".
Farooq asks Centre to hold assembly elections in J&K
The National Conference president said the Centre should hold the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir if its claims on return of normalcy to the Union Territory were true.
"If the situation is normal in J&K why Union Government is hesitating to conduct assembly elections in J&K. If elections are held everywhere, why not in Jammu and Kashmir?" he asked.
"After completion of the delimitation exercise, there is no reason of delaying assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir", Farooq said and regretted that residents of Jammu and Kashmir are without a popular government since 2018.
Recently Home Minister Amit Shah said that call on the date and timing of polls will be taken by the Election Commission of India.
In an interview with a news agency, Union Home Minister said that the process of preparation of the voters' list is nearing completion in the Union Territory. "Now, the Election Commission has to take a call on elections in Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
