Srinagar, Feb 16: Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal on Tuesday hinted at an early decision on the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, stating that the public will “soon hear” a resolution on the sensitive matter.
The remarks, made during a visit to Srinagar, drew a response of cautious optimism from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who said the region has waited long enough .
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC), Meghwal as per Kashmir Convener acknowledged the political sensitivity surrounding the issue but reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to the process laid out in Parliament.
“See, you have raised an important issue. It is a sensitive issue,” Meghwal said. “The Home Minister has said in the Lok Sabha that you will get this right. It has a process and I feel that you will soon get to hear a decision (about it).” .
The minister did not elaborate on the specifics or the timeline of the potential decision. However, his statement immediately reignited political discourse in the region, which has been functioning as a Union Territory since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 .
Notably, Jammu and Kashmir was stripped of its special status and bifurcated into two Union Territories—Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh—on August 5, 2019. At the time, Home Minister Amit Shah assured Parliament that the UT status for J&K was temporary. On February 13, 2021, Shah reiterated on the floor of the Lok Sabha that statehood would be restored to the region.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah has also previously stated that a decision would be taken at an “appropriate time,” however today’s remarks by union minister mark one of the most definitive hints from the Centre in recent months that the process may be reaching a conclusion.
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