J&K promises will be fulfilled: PM Modi

Sonamarg (J-K): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asserted that he would keep promises he had made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, a statement seen as an oblique reference to the demand for restoration of statehood voiced strongly by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

"Yeh Modi hai, wada karta hai toh nibhata hai. Har kaam ka ek samay hai, aur sahi samay pe sahi kaam bhi hone wale hai (This is Modi who keeps his promises. And right things are going to happen at the right time)," the prime minister said at a large public meeting where he shared the stage with Abdullah after inaugurating a strategic 6.4-km tunnel be-tween Srinagar with Sonamarg.

Terming Kashmir as India's crown, Prime Minister Modi also said the dream of 'Viksit Bharat' will be achieved only when this crown is be-decked with jewels. Speaking earlier at the function, Abdullah pressed for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir as promised by the prime minister before the assembly elections in September last year and said, "My heart believes that you will fulfil this promise soon".

"You also promised (assembly) elections within four months and you stayed true to your words," he said. Without making a direct reference to the issue of statehood, Modi as-sured the gathering that all promises would be kept and the right things would happen at the right time.

The prime minister said he wishes Jam-mu and Kashmir to be beautiful and prosperous. "There is an atmosphere of peace in Jammu and Kashmir and we have seen its effect on tourism.

Kashmir is writing a new saga of development today,” he said. “Jammu and Kashmir of the 21st century is scripting a new chapter of development,” he said and remarked that the region is regaining its iden-tity as “Paradise on Earth”, leaving behind the difficult days of the past.

Modi said the Kashmir Valley will soon be connected by train and there is enthusiasm among people about it.

He also paid tributes to the seven people who were killed in a terror at-tack near the tunnel here on October 20 last year. After inaugurating the project, the prime minister went inside the tunnel and interacted with project officials. He also met construction workers who worked meticu-lously amid harsh conditions to complete the tunnel. He thanked the la-bourers who worked hard and also put their lives at stake for the devel-opment of Jammu and Kashmir and India.