Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said statehood to Jammu and Kashmir will be restored at an “appropriate time” after discussions are held with political stakeholders.

At an ABP News conclave in Patna, Shah responded to growing demands from political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, for statehood to be restored for Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest.

Shah also claimed that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir has significantly improved since the abrogation of Article 370, stating that the Union Territory has taken a “complete U-turn”, highlighting that only one Indian resident had been recruited by terrorist groups over the past nine months.

Shah said that since the abrogation, panchayat, municipal and legislative assembly elections have been held in Jammu and Kashmir, and that Rajya Sabha elections will also take place.

“Today, democracy has been restored in Jammu and Kashmir,” Shah said.

In response to Abdullah’s recent remarks about the continued status of Jammu and Kashmir as a Union Territory andthe “gulf” it has created between Srinagar and New Delhi, Shah dismissed the comments as political in nature.

“He may be saying this out of political compulsions,” Shah said, adding that he is in constant contact with Abdullah.

“Statehood would be restored at an appropriate time,” he added “And everyone must...

Read more