Jammu And Kashmir's Security Should Be Handed Over To Elected Govt: CM Omar Abdullah

Ahmedabad: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is on a two-day trip to Gujarat, reiterated demand for restoration of statehood to the Union Territory (UT) and pressed on handing over security to the government.

Addressing a press conference in Ahmedabad, Abdullah said while other UTs were granted full statehood, Jammu and Kashmir's statehood was removed and given UT status. The promise of restoring Jammu and Kashmir's statehood should be fulfilled and the responsibility of security matters must be handed over to the elected government.

"As far as security meetings are concerned, I do not attend those because the issue comes under the Lieutenant General (LG). Police and security is under the LG but I know everything. Where is the security? What is it doing? All the responsibility related to Kashmir should be ours. I have been saying since day one that the responsibility of security in Jammu and Kashmir should be given to us. The people have elected us and we are not incompetent. If you have given us governance, then security matters should be given as well," he said.

Abdullah's visit comes in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that killed 26 tourists and is a part of a tourism promotion initiative. He met Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and took a morning walk along the Sabarmati riverfront followed by a visit to the Statue of Unity.

Abdullah said that the Pahalgam attack has affected the tourism industry in Jammu and Kashmir. "We have come to Gujarat to promote tourism in Jammu and Kashmir. Gujarat and Maharashtra are very important states for us. Jammu and Kashmir has not been closed for tourism. The situation there is good," he said.

"I met CM Bhupendra Patel and he talked to me about his experience in Jammu and Kashmir. I also visited the Statue of Unity. After the Pahalgam attack, tourist places were closed in Jammu and Kashmir but now they have been reopened," he added.

PM Modi lauded Abdullah's visit to Gujarat as a message of national integration and said it will inspire Indians to travel to different parts of the country.

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