Jammu, September 5: Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary has conveyed optimism regarding the fulfillment of the promise to restore statehood to the region, stating that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had highlighted this and other critical issues during a recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that Choudhary, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function in Jammu, indicated that a range of development-related matters concerning Jammu and Kashmir were discussed during the Chief Minister’s engagements in New Delhi.
These discussions reportedly included the paramount issue of statehood restoration, alongside the rationalisation of reservation policies, finalisation of business rules, and preparations for the inaugural international Filmfare festival scheduled to be held in Srinagar. Choudhary explicitly referenced the commitments made by the Union government in Parliament, before the Supreme Court, and directly to the people of Jammu and Kashmir regarding the restoration of their statehood.
The Deputy Chief Minister voiced concern that failing to uphold this promise would amount to a betrayal not only of the people of Jammu and Kashmir but also of the parliamentary and judicial institutions. He underscored the significance of these assurances, particularly in the context of governance and public trust.
Turning to other pressing local matters, Choudhary addressed the ongoing strike by MBBS interns protesting disparities in their monthly stipends. He assured that the government was undertaking a comprehensive review of the situation, acknowledging the crucial role of doctors in public healthcare. “If it were just one issue, we would have announced it here and moved on. But we are looking at the matter in its entirety because these are our doctors, and they are treating our people. After God, if anyone is given the second-highest place, it is doctors,” he stated.
Choudhary also characterised a recent anti-government protest staged by the BJP in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk as a politically motivated “drama” designed to divert public attention from pressing issues within Jammu. He challenged the opposition party to address concerns regarding the representation of local officers, academics, and professionals in key positions within the Union Territory.
He criticised the BJP’s demonstration at the historic Lal Chowk as an insincere attempt to mislead the public, alleging that the party was deliberately obscuring the challenges faced by the people of Jammu. “Jammu is suffering from within. There is pain in the hearts of the people. Whether it is transporters, hoteliers, industrialists or unemployed youth, everyone is troubled,” he asserted.
The Deputy Chief Minister proposed that the BJP leadership should instead confront these issues publicly in Jammu, specifically mentioning the ‘Ghanta Ghar’ on Shalimar Road. He urged them to address the concerns of Jammu’s residents directly, rather than staging protests in Srinagar. “Why don’t you go there and, standing under the statue of Maharaja Sahib, answer the people of Jammu?” he questioned.
Furthermore, Choudhary raised significant questions about the appointment of senior officers from Jammu and Kashmir to positions outside the Union Territory, while local officials, he argued, were being overlooked for comparable opportunities within their home region. He pointed to instances where officers from Jammu and Kashmir serve as Directors General in other states or in Ladakh, questioning why local IPS officers, who he deemed capable, were not being appointed to similar high-ranking positions within Jammu and Kashmir.
The Deputy Chief Minister also expressed dissatisfaction with the appointment processes in universities and other prominent institutions, highlighting the perceived exclusion of local candidates from roles such as directors and vice-chancellors. He framed this issue as one that directly impacts the aspirations of young professionals and employees within the Union Territory, stating, “Look at the records. Our officers are being sent from Jammu and Kashmir to different parts of the country, to different states and Union territories. But why can’t our own officers be appointed here? Why can’t they be appointed as deputy commissioners here? Is this not discrimination?” he concluded.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
