Fulfil the promise: On restoring Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir
The Hindu editorial criticizes the Indian government for failing to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir despite previous assurances. It argues that the current Union Territory status undermines democratic representation and local governance.
Why it matters
The ongoing political status of Jammu and Kashmir remains a sensitive and critical issue for Indian constitutional democracy and regional security.
It has been over two and a half years since the Supreme Court of India recorded the Union government’s solemn assurance that Statehood would be restored to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) . It set no timeline, but the expectation was that it would happen within a reasonable period and steps would be taken progressively. That the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government has done nothing on this front since then can only mean that it has interpreted the lack of a timeline as a licence for the indefinite deferral of Statehood. This is despite repeated assurances from the Centre. Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged it in the run-up to the J&K elections , and Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated it on the floor of Parliament.
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