J&k Governance in Focus: Sinha’s Call to Deliver, Omar’s Call to Verify

New Delhi, October 31: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday said that the elected government of Jammu and Kashmir holds full authority to govern and deliver, regardless of the timeline for statehood restoration. “There is no excuse. The elected government must perform,” Sinha said, addressing a gathering at SKICC, Srinagar.

Sinha dismissed any ambiguity surrounding the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, asserting that the union Home Minister has already laid out a clear sequence: delimitation first, assembly elections next and statehood at an appropriate time.

“Some people seem to have a problem accepting this clarity. When the assembly elections were held, it was evident they were for the UT assembly. The elected government cannot use the absence of statehood as an excuse to delay governance,” Sinha said.

He added, “Government should use its powers for the betterment of the people of J&K.” Reacting to LG Sinha’s remarks, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said he had not yet reviewed the statement in full.

“Before responding, I’d prefer to read exactly what he said. If there’s a discrepancy between his actual words and what’s being conveyed to me, I wouldn’t want to comment inaccurately,” Abdullah told reporters here.

He added, however, that if the Lieutenant Governor did indeed make the remarks as reported by media personnel, then he would offer his response “at an appropriate time”.

Meanwhile, LG Sinha said that October 31 signifies the beginning of a transformed Jammu and Kashmir—an era that brought an end to intimidation, separatist agendas and systemic exclusion, paving the way for peace, progress and inclusive democratic engagement.

He added that six years ago, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a historic shift occurred when, for the first time, legislation passed by the Indian Parliament was uniformly enforced across Jammu and Kashmir.

“Looking back at the past seventy years, countless individuals made sacrifices to make this transformation possible. The groundwork for this journey was laid by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel,” Sinha said, adding that the public today clearly recognises those who once sought to fragment the region.

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