Some quarters push for separate Jammu, majority demand statehood restoration: Tariq Karra
Srinagar, Feb 5: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president Tariq Hameed Karra on Thursday said that while a majority of people in J&K are demanding full restoration of statehood, some quarters are advocating a separate state for Jammu, calling for clarity from the Centre on the timeline for restoring statehood to J&K.
In his address during the motion of thanks on the J&K Lieutenant Governor's (LG) address in the Legislative Assembly Karra demanded that the Government of India (GoI) must issue a clear timeline for the restoration of Statehood for J&K.
"The government must constitute a panel of MLAs from across the parties to facilitate the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits to Kashmir," he said.
He said that this Assembly could not have been formed if the Supreme Court would not have intervened which paved the way for holding elections in J&K after a gap of 10 years.
Referring to the LG's address, Karra said the speech was about participatory governance and public trust but how such trust can exist when the people’s core demand for restoration of statehood continues to remain unresolved.
"Restoration of Statehood was mentioned in LG's previous address but omitted this time," he said.
Karra said the Congress national leadership including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi sought immediate restoration of statehood to J&K, in Parliament besides sending a letter to the Prime Minister as well.
“They (GoI) keep saying that statehood will be granted at an appropriate time but we should be told what the right time is. What is its measure? What is its standard? And how long will the people of J&K have to wait?” he said.
In a veiled attack at BJP, Karra said that while the majority of the people were demanding restoration of Statehood to J&K there were some quarters that wanted to make Jammu a separate state.
“There is a need for unity and communal harmony because in the past, some leaders raised such a demand, resulting in regional mistrust due to which the collective strength of J&K weakened which was the biggest loss,” he said.
JKPCC president said that LG Manoj Sinha forgot to mention two important humanitarian issues in his address which include rehabilitation of migrant Kashmiri Pandits and the issues of the refugees of 1947, 1965 and 1971.
“We need to have a comprehensive, permanent and dignified plan for rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits because it won't be possible through mere symbolic or economic measures," he said.
He said that we need to ensure their security, economic stability and social rights, so that they can return to their homeland with dignity.
"A standing committee of elected members can be constituted to initiate a dialogue with the Kashmiri Pandit community and a practical strategy can be drafted at the ground level to ensure their dignified return to Kashmir," he said.
Karra said that a one-time package of Rs 30 lakh per family approved by the previous UPA government must be implemented immediately for the West Pakistani refugees.
"A small amount of Rs 5 lakh has been given to them by the present central government," he said.
