Srinagar, Jan 29 (KNO): The Jammu & Kashmir Congress, an alliance partner in the Union Territory’s government, has proposed the formation of a coordination committee to facilitate discussions on key governance issues.
Speaking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), JKPCC president Tariq Karra called for a structured platform that would help resolve serious concerns, ensure smooth governance and allow for an exchange of ideas among alliance partners.
Karra clarified that the committee would not just be about addressing political disagreements, but also about pooling collective wisdom to enhance governance. A major agenda item for this proposed committee would be deliberations on the restoration of Jammu & Kashmir’s statehood, a demand that remains at the forefront of Congress’s political stance, he said.
Expressing his frustration over the prolonged delay in statehood restoration, Karra questioned the commitment of the Central government, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, to fulfilling their promises.
“What is stopping them from restoring statehood to J&K? Why is it being delayed? I doubt their intentions,” he said.
The JKPCC chief's remarks come in response to Omar Abdullah’s recent statement urging patience on the matter. Karra, however, rejected the idea of waiting indefinitely, saying the Congress Party had fought the elections on the promise of swift statehood restoration.
“Delaying it further does not reflect good intentions toward the people of Jammu & Kashmir,” he added.
Karra, who is also the MLA from Central Shalteng, said that forming a coordination committee would help streamline communication within the alliance and improve engagement with the Central government, especially on sensitive political matters like statehood.
While rumours were circulating on social media that Congress was planning to pull out of the alliance, Karra categorically dismissed these reports, calling them malicious, concocted and baseless.
He reaffirmed that Congress remains a committed partner in the alliance but clarified that the party will not participate in the cabinet until statehood is restored—(KNO)