Jammu, July 28: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said he is hopeful of the restoration of statehood to the Union Territory during the Monsoon session of Parliament, asserting that his government will raise the issue if there is no progress on it during this period.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, Chief Minister Abdullah said, “Let this Parliament session pass. We are hopeful that we will get something in this session. If we do not get anything, we will talk after that. I will not go for a strike as long as the Parliament is in session.”
He was responding to a question on the Congress’s announcement that it will intensify its agitation for the restoration of statehood.
The National Conference and the Congress fought last year’s assembly elections together, with the national party only winning six seats against the regional party’s 42 seats. The NC is also enjoying the support of five independent MLAs.
“If I am right, the Parliament session will continue till August 21 or 22. If we do not see any progress on restoration of statehood within or outside the Parliament during this period, then we will talk (on the subject),” Abdullah said.
Addressing a press conference earlier in the day, J&K Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra said they are intensifying the statehood restoration campaign from August 1 by reaching out to traders, transporters, and the unorganized sectors, followed by a chain hunger strike in district headquarters from August 9 to 21.
Karra said the party’s campaign for restoration of statehood is on the right track, and both rallies in Srinagar and Jammu on July 19 and 20, followed by the Delhi march two days later, proved successful.
“The Congress central leadership is supporting our movement and said it will not stop here (in Delhi). We have also stated that this is just the beginning of our struggle and we are intensifying this further to press for the restoration of statehood to J&K,” he said.
As part of the new programme, he said the Congress will conduct an outreach campaign from August 1 to 5 and seek support of traders, transporters, the chamber of commerce, and the unorganized sectors in both Jammu and Srinagar, he said.