New Delhi, Feb 10: On Monday, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to address several important matters, including the restoration of statehood and the current law and order situation in the Union Territory.
During a 30-minute meeting, the Chief Minister raised his concern regarding the reinstatement of statehood for J&K with Shah.
Following the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, J&K was divided into two Union Territories: J&K and Ladakh.
Abdullah also updated Shah on the recent incidents in J&K, which included a tragic death by suicide in Kathua, Jammu, and a shooting of a truck driver in Sopore, north Kashmir, who failed to stop at a checkpoint.
These events, occurring on February 4 and 5, led the Chief Minister to express that such incidents could “alienate the very people who we need to carry with us on the road to complete normalcy”.
“I have raised these incidents with the Union Government and stressed the need for a thorough and timely investigation into both cases. The J&K government will also initiate its own inquiries,” Abdullah stated in a post on X.
In the meeting, the Chief Minister reportedly conveyed to the Home Minister the importance of involving the residents of the UT in decision-making and emphasized that his government should have a role in managing law and order as their representative.
According to officials, Abdullah highlighted that the last phases of militancy cannot be resolved in isolation.
A strong advocate for a peaceful Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah has consistently stated that normalcy in the UT cannot be achieved in a vacuum.
This meeting followed two extensive sessions chaired by Shah the previous week, focusing on the security situation in J&K.
“The Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Shri @OmarAbdullah, called on Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri @AmitShah,” Shah’s office shared on ‘X’.
During Monday’s discussion, Abdullah also informed the Home Minister about the business rules anticipated to be approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Since the downgrading of the former state into two Union Territories, law and order has been under the central government’s direct oversight.
Abdullah addressed potential amendments to industrial and tourism policies aimed at boosting the manufacturing sector and attracting more tourists.
