NEW DELHI: Opposition parties are not impressed by Amit Shah’s assurances on restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, or by his announcements of new projects for the UT.
Valley CPM leader Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami said, “I had lots of expectations from home minister Amit Shah’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir but unfortunately, he (Shah) repeated his old adage ways and made no new announcements for the Union Territory,” he said.
“Political parties of J&K believe that a great injustice happened with the people of Jammu and Kashmir by dividing and downsizing the state into two union territories. Parties demand the restoration of full statehood in Jammu and Kashmir ” he said.
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad insisted on restoration of statehood to the UT before holding elections.
“When PM invited political leaders leaders from Kashmir at his residence, I had demanded that we’d like to have statehood followed by elections. Other parties also demanded the same. Home minister assured us that statehood will be granted and delimitation commission will give report,” Azad said.
“Don’t do the mistake of doing delimitation first and then giving statehood,” he warned.
Amit Shah on Saturday said that elections will be held in J&K after completion of the delimitation process. Thereafter the UT will be restored its statehood.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday had said inaugurating international flights and medical colleges were cosmetic steps that will not address the “actual” problem in Jammu and Kashmir.
She was referring to home minister Amit Shah inaugurating the first flight from Srinagar to Sharjah in UAE.
Mufti insisted on prisoner release, tangible steps to revive the economy and other such “confidence building measures” to provide a sense of relief to the common people in the Valley.
Contrary to that, prior to Shah’s visit, 700 civilians were detained, booked under the Public Safety Act and many shifted to jails outside Kashmir, the former chief minister alleged.
(With agency inputs)