Immediate restoration of full statehood to J&K is imperative: Chidambaram

A day after Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha held a security review meeting, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Thursday, 24 October, said people have elected a chief minister and government to look after their security but the CM has no authority.

Chidambaram also asserted that the immediate restoration of full statehood to J&K is imperative.

In a post on X, the former home minister said the photograph of the LG of Jammu and Kashmir presiding over a meeting to review the law and order situation in J&K is telling.

"The elected chief minister is not present. Whether he was invited or not, I do not know. Under the law applicable to J&K, police and public order are subjects reserved for the LG," Chidambaram said.

The people have elected a chief minister and government to look after their security, among other things, but the chief minister has no authority, he said.

This is why J&K is described as half a state, Chidambaram added.

The immediate restoration of full statehood to J&K is imperative, he asserted.

Sinha on Wednesday directed for a security audit of infrastructure projects, round-the-clock nakas at strategic points, and night patrolling and area domination in the Valley.

Sinha passed these directions during a security review for the Kashmir division in a meeting at Raj Bhawan in Srinagar.

The meeting came against the backdrop of the deadly terror attack on construction workers at a tunnel in the Gagangir area of Ganderbal district on Sunday. Seven persons -- a local doctor and six non-local labourers -- were killed in the attack claimed by the TRF, a shadow outfit of Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, Principal Secretary Home Department Chandraker Bharti and Additional Director General of Police (Law & Order) Vijay Kumar and other senior officials of J-K Police attended the meeting.

The LG asked J&K Police officials to take stringent measures to tighten the security grid around key infrastructure projects and construction camps for the safety of workers. He stressed upon establishment of mechanisms for regular coordination meetings with project implementing agencies.