Srinagar, Oct 31 Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday questioned the “duplicity” of elected representatives who, despite having taken oaths under the Indian Constitution, skipped the Union Territory (UT) Foundation Day celebration.
The LG said the reality is that Jammu and Kashmir is a union territory right now and when statehood is restored, they will celebrate it as well.
Sinha was speaking at the UT Foundation Day celebration held at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) on the bank of Dal Lake in Srinagar.
“Those who took oath as legislators on the Indian Constitution recently showed duplicity by not attending the function. The reality is that Jammu and Kashmir is a union territory right now. Once statehood is restored, we will celebrate that too as well,” Sinha said amid applause from the audience.
No ruling party politicians or their allies were present at the event. The event was attended mostly by the government officials.
Sinha pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have consistently outlined the sequence of delimitation, assembly elections, and ultimately, the restoration of statehood.
“During the Yoga Diwas celebrations in Srinagar, PM Modi also assured the people that Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood would be restored after the elections,” he said.
The Lt. Governor recognised the dedication of the police, army, and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in maintaining peace and countering militancy.
“The police, army, and CAPF have shown unwavering dedication, and I am confident that the coming months will see us take significant strides toward eradicating terrorism completely. The day is not far when Jammu and Kashmir will be entirely free from terror,” he said, underscoring that peace remains a fundamental prerequisite for development.
In a subtle warning, Sinha addressed those who might seek to destabilise the region: “I urge you, for Allah’s sake, to change yourselves. It has taken enormous effort to achieve this stability. Those dreaming of disrupting this peace should know they will gain nothing.”
Emphasising the region’s economic progress during the last five years, Sinha noted that Jammu and Kashmir has seen strong investor interest, attributing it to peace, stability, and democratic values.
He highlighted J&K Bank’s success as an example of this progress, with the bank turning around from a loss of ₹1,139 crore in 2019-20 to a profit of ₹1,700 crore in 2023-24, and a profit of ₹991 crore already recorded in the current financial year.