J&K's statehood not a concession but constitutional right: Farooq Abdullah

Srinagar: National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah has said that the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood is not a concession but a constitutional right.

Addressing a meeting of NC workers in south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Wednesday, the former chief minister called for an immediate return to full democratic authority in the region.

"Restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood is not a concession but a constitutional right. Statehood is not a gift, it is the people's right, long overdue and repeatedly promised by the ruling government," he said.

Abdullah assured party workers that the NC government in Jammu and Kashmir is prioritising these challenges.

He also criticised the union territory status of Jammu and Kashmir as a bottleneck to real governance.

"J&K is vast, not just in land but in its layered culture. Governing it under the limited framework of a union territory is like trying to fly a kite without wind," he said.