Srinagar, Apr 7: National Conference Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Chowdhury Ramzan on Tuesday asserted that the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir is a matter of right for its people and should not be treated as a concession.
He said that both the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister have already stated in Parliament that the process of delimitation would be followed by elections and subsequently the restoration of statehood. He also pointed out that the Supreme Court has issued directions to the government regarding the matter. According to Ramzan, effective governance becomes challenging without statehood, as constitutional authority should rest with elected representatives. He added that leaders from Jammu and Kashmir continue to raise the demand in Parliament and during meetings with central ministers, stressing that the restoration of statehood cannot be postponed indefinitely and must take place sooner or later.
Speaking about recent political developments, Ramzan said that the no-confidence motion was introduced by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and received backing from several opposition parties, including the Indian National Congress, Trinamool Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, Janata Dal, and the Samajwadi Party. He noted that even a member associated with the National Democratic Alliance had supported the motion, but the result was largely expected due to the ruling party’s numerical advantage in Parliament.
Ramzan also expressed concern over the functioning of the Election Commission of India, alleging that in certain states Muslim voters are being unfairly targeted, with their names reportedly removed from electoral rolls in a manner that could affect their political representation.
Referring to upcoming Assembly elections in states such as Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Kerala, he said opposition parties are likely to perform strongly, while the Bharatiya Janata Party may face difficulties in securing significant gains in several of these regions.
On issues related to Jammu and Kashmir, Ramzan said that during a recent meeting with the Union Home Minister, various matters concerning residents of the region were discussed. These included the demand for the return of individuals from Jammu and Kashmir who are currently lodged in prisons outside the Union Territory, as well as the release of those who have already spent six to seven years in jail despite facing comparatively lesser potential sentences.
He further highlighted the challenges faced by Kashmiri traders and students in different parts of the country following security-related incidents and said assurances were given that such situations would be addressed to prevent recurrence in the future.
