SRINAGAR, Sep 23 (PTI) – Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary firmly stated that his government will not back down amid challenges, asserting their dedication to the citizens of the Union Territory. Speaking to reporters in Ganderbal district on Tuesday, Choudhary addressed criticisms regarding the government’s performance and promised to continue their fight for the rights of the people.
“There are some people who want us to resign. But we are not among those who run away. We are workers of Sher-e-Kashmir, we will struggle and fight for the rights of the people. We will not show our backs,” Choudhary said during the press interaction.
The Deputy Chief Minister responded directly to queries about the government’s ability to deliver on election promises. He acknowledged that the current administration operates with limited powers as a result of the region’s transformation into a Union Territory.
“You will have to understand that we do not have a state government. The special status and statehood we lost because of the PDP has left us with a Union Territory government that grapples with limited resources,” he explained.
Choudhary emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir’s unique dual governance system complicates their ability to implement policies quickly and effectively. Despite these constraints, he affirmed the National Conference government’s commitment to addressing the community’s concerns.
“We will fulfill all the promises made by NC president Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. We are in the midst of a struggle. We have been given a mandate for five years, not 10 months, to fulfill our election promises. Then you can ask us which promises we fulfilled and which we did not,” he asserted, reaffirming their resolve to work for the citizens.
When asked about the potential discussion of statehood and the restoration of Article 35A during the upcoming assembly session, Choudhary revealed that these topics were broached in the cabinet meeting earlier that day.
“We discussed this in the cabinet meeting today. We reiterated our stand on statehood. Leave aside statehood, the LG sahib seems to have slept over the business rules. Your questions are very genuine, but you have to understand the circumstances that we are going through,” he stated.
In a critical tone, Choudhary called out the opposition parties, particularly the BJP and PDP, which had governed Jammu and Kashmir together from 2015 to 2018. He accused them of failing to advance the region’s development.
“The PDP and the BJP are claiming to have done a lot of development work in Jammu and Kashmir over the past 11 years. They should be asked if they have truly improved connectivity. If they have done so much regarding roads, then why do we still face traffic jams?” Choudhary questioned, underscoring the urgency for tangible improvements.
As the Deputy Chief Minister reiterated their commitment to the people, he assured them that the government would not remain passive in the face of past neglect. The promises made during their election campaign were not just words but obligations to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
