Restoration of J&K's statehood key priority for Centre

New Delhi: Restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood is a "key priority" for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and will be done soon but happenings in India's neighbourhood have to be factored in too, top government sources have said.

On the restoration of statehood for J&K, which was downgraded to a union territory in 2019 after bifurcation, a top source said that it is a priority for this government.

"The government is committed to restoring statehood in J&K at the earliest possible. This is a key priority of the Modi government. We hope to get this done soonest," the source said.

However, the source said that the government has "to keep in mind what’s happening in the neighbourhood while taking a call on J&K".

As the UT heads for Assembly polls, the source noted that J&K was in dire straits for four decades, especially since the eruption of insurgency and terrorism in the late 1990s.

With the three-phase J&K elections likely to witness multi-cornered contests as the top parties like the BJP, the Congress-National Conference alliance, the Peoples Democratic Party, a number of small parties and over two dozen Independent candidates in the fray, the source ruled out any possibility of the BJP allying with the Awami Ittehad Party of Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid, who was recently released on bail to campaign.

"There is no question of the BJP allying with Engineer Rashid’s party after the results come out in Jammu and Kashmir. Engineer is an accused under the UAPA. He was released on bail despite our objections. The BJP cannot ally with Rashid’s party," the source said.

On various candidates fielded by the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (J&K), which is participating in elections after around four decades, and calls from a section of J&K politicians, like PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, for lifting the proscription against it, the source said, that the ban on the Jamaat "cannot be linked to participating in the elections".

The government is keeping a close eye on the subversive activities of Jamaat members, the source said.