Meanwhile, Minister Satish Sharma on Wednesday termed delay in restoration of statehood as unjustified and defended the budget presented by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Sharma, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) alleged that BJP has remained silent on the restoration of statehood.
Minister Sharma said the present government is managing with limited resources and still presenting a “people friendly” budget. He praised the Chief Minister for preparing what he called a balanced budget despite financial constraints.
Raising concern over unemployment, Minister said joblessness is at its peak and daily wagers are anxious about their future. Referring to ongoing protests by daily wagers, he said the Chief Minister has assured phased and time bound monthly payments within a year.
He also said Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh must not be divided along religious or regional lines. He called for collective accountability and alleged large scale corruption after 2019. In a sharp remark, he claimed that more resources have been looted in recent years than during the era of Maharaja Hari Singh.
On security, Minister reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir was downgraded from a state to a Union Territory on the pretext of controlling militancy. He questioned whether militancy has actually been curbed and referred to recent border incidents. He accused political opponents of humiliating and provoking youth for political gain.
On statehood, Minister asserted that Jammu and Kashmir must regain its full status as promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said no region should be reduced in stature, comparing the transition from state to Union Territory to reducing a senior officer to a lower rank.
He expressed confidence that the Prime Minister would honour his assurance and said BJP leaders should show courage and support the demand for restoration of statehood—(KNO)
