Jammu and Kashmir’s Deputy Chief Minister, Surinder Choudhary, has voiced his hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will announce the restoration of full statehood for the Union Territory. Speaking at a National Conference public meeting, Choudhary suggested that the announcement could come during the Prime Minister’s Independence Day address from the Red Fort on August 15.
Choudhary criticized the 2019 decision to downgrade the state into two Union Territories—J&K and Ladakh—calling it an arbitrary move that the people of the region have never accepted. He urged the Prime Minister and Home Minister Amit Shah to fulfill their previous promises to restore statehood. He believes the current Monsoon session of parliament is the “most appropriate time” to pass a bill for this purpose.
