Civil society group urges Centre to restore statehood without delay

A civil society group in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday appealed to the Union government not to delay the restoration of statehood to the Union Territory. The Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC) Jammu and Kashmir expressed serious concern over the prolonged delay and urged the Union Government to take immediate action, particularly in light of the Supreme Court’s direction in December 2023.

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In a statement, the GCC emphasised the negative impact of the “dual control” system on governance, warning that it leads to disjointed administration and affects the well-being of the people. “The scheme of dual control is a sort of diarchy and a sure recipe for disjointed governance,” the group said.

The group stated that the people of Jammu and Kashmir undeservingly suffered from the lack of a representative government for over six years.

“The Union Government must respect the democratic aspirations of the people and restore full statehood. Only then can the newly elected government be held accountable to deliver on their legitimate demands, expectations and aspirations,” it added.

The GCC highlighted that any further delay or dithering would be counterproductive and not in the larger interest of Jammu & Kashmir and the country.

“By restoring statehood, the Union Government will be restoring to the people their right to have a responsible, responsive and duly empowered government, as in other states of the country and as it was in J&K before the downgrade to UT in August 2019,” it said.

The GCC reaffirmed its faith in the assurances given by the Prime Minister and Home Minister in Parliament.

It urged all political formations to join ranks, rising above party affiliations, in seeking the restoration of statehood to J&K by the Union Government.

The GCC includes eminent people from a cross section of society including jurists, former vice chancellors, academicians, civil servants and business heads.