Srinagar, Nov 09: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary emphasised on Saturday that Jammu and Kashmir’s land and job security can only be ensured by restoring its Special Status, echoing a promise made by Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament.
“The Home Minister’s statement reaffirmed that land and jobs belong to J&K residents and will be safeguarded when Special Status is reinstated,” Choudhary told reporters at Fruit Mandi Sopore.
He declared that their resolution aims to restore J&K’s pre-August 2019 Special Status. Reiterating the National Conference’s commitment, Choudhary said, “We are dedicated to bringing back statehood to the region. Jammu and Kashmir should be a state, not a Union Territory.”
Criticizing BJP leaders, Choudhary accused them of neglecting pressing issues, such as corruption, unemployment, and mining policies. “Instead of addressing misused public funds in areas like mining, they remain silent on crucial matters, including the drug menace, the controversial wine policy, and the smart city project,” he said, adding that the BJP has failed to control corruption and deceived the people.
Choudhary reiterated his party’s determination to restore statehood and vowed to resist forces responsible for downgrading J&K. On security, he called for intensified anti-terror operations, urging forces to dismantle the terror network. He also lamented the lack of representation for J&K in the past decade due to the absence of a stable government.
“Under the previous regime, the people were sidelined, and critical concerns were ignored. Now, we are committed to addressing these issues and ensuring proper representation,” he asserted.
