LG criticises Omar Abdullah for boycotting UT Foundation Day event

Srinagar, Oct 31: Lieutenant Governor, Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, on Thursday hit out at the elected government for staying away from the UT Foundation Day event.

Without naming anyone, Sinha said that those who swore to uphold the Constitution while Jammu and Kashmir is a UT did not participate in the event, and that it reflects the “duplicity of character”.

He referenced the Home Minister’s statement in Parliament, outlining that delimitation would occur first, followed by elections and statehood.

Sinha stated, "The Home Minister mentioned in Parliament that delimitation would occur first, followed by elections, and then statehood at an appropriate time. Those who took an oath on the Constitution while Jammu and Kashmir is a UT chose to stay away today. This reflects a duplicity of character. The reality is that we are currently a UT, and when Jammu and Kashmir is restored as a state, we will celebrate that as well."

Sinha said that the next three months will be crucial for security forces to combat militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. He urged the citizens to support counterinsurgency efforts to maintain peace in the region.

Sinha also reaffirmed the government's commitment to restoring statehood, stating, "Statehood for J&K, as promised by Prime Minister and Home Minister Amit Shah, will be granted at an appropriate time."

The ruling Congress alliance and other political parties have stayed away from the event, saying that they can’t celebrate the day when constitutional rights were taken away from the people of J&K.

Abdullah's National Conference (NC) party had said it will stay away from the UT foundation day celebrations on October 31 as it does not accept the status and wants restoration of statehood at the earliest.

"No one from the party will attend the UT foundation day function as we don't accept the status," NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq told reporters here.

The NC believes that the decision taken on August 5, 2019 to bifurcate the erstwhile state into two UTs, JK and Ladakh, is "illegal, unconstitutional and immoral", Sadiq said.

Senior CPI(M) leader and Kulgam MLA M Y Tarigami said celebrating the UT foundation day is "disrespectful" to the people of JK.

"The Prime Minister and the (Union) Home Minister should fulfil their promises on statehood. The Prime Minister has admitted that large section of people in J-K have participated in assembly elections.

"They have expressed their support for the restoration of statehood. Celebrating UT foundation day is disrespectful to the people of J-K," he said.