SRINAGAR, Sep 23 (PTI) – Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary stated on Tuesday that the elected government is navigating numerous challenges but remains committed to advocating for the rights of its citizens despite limited powers.
“There are some people who want us to resign. But we are not among those who run away. We are workers of Sher-e-Kashmir, and we will struggle and fight for the rights of the people. We will not show our backs,” Choudhary asserted while addressing reporters in Ganderbal district.
Responding to a query about the government’s ability to fulfil election promises, he explained the constraints facing the Union Territory. “You must understand that we do not have a state government. The special status we lost because of the PDP resulted in a Union Territory government with limited resources and authority,” he elaborated.
Choudhary highlighted the dual governance system in place, characterized by an elected government paired with an appointed administration. Despite these obstacles, he assured that the National Conference government is diligently working to solve pressing issues affecting the populace.
“We will fulfil all promises made by NC president Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. We have a mandate for a full five years, not a mere 10 months, to deliver on our commitments. After this period, you can evaluate what has been accomplished and what remains unmet,” he stated emphatically.
When asked whether the hot-button issues of statehood and the restoration of Article 35A would feature in the upcoming assembly session, the deputy chief minister confirmed that these matters had been part of a cabinet discussion earlier that day.
“We reiterated our stance on statehood during today’s cabinet meeting. Not only statehood, but it seems like the LG has also overlooked the business rules of governance. Your inquiries are indeed valid, but one must understand the challenges we are facing,” Choudhary explained.
The deputy chief minister criticized the BJP and PDP for failing to prioritize development while they were in power together from 2015 to 2018. “The PDP and BJP boast of their developmental achievements over the last 11 years. However, if they accomplished so much in road widening and enhancing connectivity, why do we still grapple with traffic jams? We will not remain inactive while past administrations achieved little,” he concluded.