Jammu, Feb 04: Ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s scheduled visit to Jammu and Kashmir, the National Conference (NC) on Wednesday renewed its demand for the restoration of full statehood, urging the Centre to translate its assurances into action.
Senior NC leader and Zadibal MLA Tanvir Sadiq said the Home Minister’s visit was being closely watched by the people of the Union Territory, who were now expecting “tangible outcomes, not repeated assurances.”
“The time for empty promises is over. We appeal directly to the Home Minister to fulfil the longstanding commitment made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Sadiq told Kashmir Convener on the sidelines of the ongoing Budget session of the J&K Legislative Assembly in Jammu. He said the demand for statehood was linked to “constitutional dignity and democratic rights” and not merely a political issue.
Jammu and Kashmir has remained a Union Territory since August 2019, when the erstwhile state was bifurcated into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh following the abrogation of Article 370. Since then, several central leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Shah, have stated that statehood would be restored at an “appropriate time.”
Sadiq said that while people had shown resilience over the years, further delay in restoring statehood could deepen alienation and weaken trust in democratic processes.
Political observer Ghulam Hassan, based in Srinagar, said the Home Minister’s visit comes at a time of heightened political expectations, particularly in the backdrop of the expiry of the District Development Council (DDC) term and the ongoing Budget session.
He said the visit could provide an opportunity for the Centre to announce the next steps, whether related to local body elections or the restoration of statehood itself. “Restoring statehood is essential for political stability and for strengthening democratic institutions in Jammu and Kashmir,” Hassan said.
He added that given the prevailing calm and increasing participation of people in mainstream politics, especially in the Kashmir Valley, the Centre should consider fostering a more robust political framework. Hassan said that timely restoration of statehood could strengthen the peaceful environment further and may also have political dividends for the BJP, as the issue figures in its manifesto.
Sources said the Home Minister’s itinerary, which is expected to include security reviews and developmental meetings, is likely to be viewed through the lens of the renewed demand for statehood. Whether the visit will lead to any concrete movement on the issue remains a key subject of political speculation.
Meanwhile, BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma criticised the National Conference, accusing it of making a “U-turn” on the issue under public pressure. Sharma said the restoration of statehood was a commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and not a demand driven by the NC.
“Statehood will come only when Narendra Modi’s commitment is there,” Sharma said, questioning the NC’s past political agenda. Referring to the party’s earlier positions, he said, “Your agenda was Article 370, Article 35-A, and renaming Shankaracharya Hill as Takht-e-Sulaiman. From where will you get statehood? This is our agenda. This is Narendra Modi’s agenda.”
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