Srinagar, Sep 24 (KNO): Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir cannot be punished for the defeat of Bhartiya Janata Party in the region.
Speaking with reporters, CM Omar, per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that people of Jammu and Kashmir were promised a three-way process including delimitation, election and statehood.
He said that statehood has not been restored, indicating it cannot be restored due to the BJP's defeat in the assembly elections last year. "The people of J&K cannot be punished for the BJP's defeat," he added.
He said that the biggest challenge at present is that J&K is not a state. "We hoped that statehood would be restored given the promises done with the people and even the Supreme Court was told about its restoration after the three-way process," he said.
CM Omar further said that the tourist footfall has not increased the way they expected after recent pilgrimages. "Every sector has been facing losses in the absence of the expected tourist footfall. However, our efforts are still on to attract tourists to Jammu and Kashmir," he added—(KNO)