Katra, June 6: Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday reiterated his demand for the restoration of statehood to the region, expressing optimism that the Centre would soon act on the matter.
Speaking at an event in Katra, which was also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Abdullah reflected on the changes since the revocation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two union territories in 2019.
“Call it fate or destiny, but whenever there have been programs related to the railways, I’ve been fortunate enough to be associated with the Prime Minister,” he said, citing past collaborations during the inaugurations of railway stations in Anantnag and Katra, and the Banihal Railway Tunnel.
Referring to political shifts, Abdullah remarked, “While the then MoS Railways, Manoj Sinha, got promoted to the post of J&K LG, I got demoted from CM of a state to CM of a UT. But things will get back to normal before we know it, and J&K will be given the status of a state by PM Narendra Modi.”
