Time not far when J&K will become state in PM Modi's tenure: Omar Abdullah

Sangaldan: Chief minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said the time is not far when statehood would be restored to Jammu and Kashmir during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said this in the presence of the PM while addressing a rally at Katra during the inauguration of Vande Bharat trains connecting Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country and other development projects.

"The last programme in my first government (2009-14) also happened here in Katra in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Since then you have won three consecutive elections by the grace of Mata and at that time Manoj Sinhaji was MoS (minister of state) railways and I was the CM of the state. Sinha sahib got a promotion of sorts (as lieutenant governor) and I was demoted a bit, and now I am chief minister of a Union Territory," said Abdullah. "But now I think that time is not far when this will be corrected. And I believe in your (Modi's) tenure through your good self we will get the statehood."

The CM said the Modi-led government has done what the British couldn't do in their time. "Many people had dreamt about this railway. Even the British were dreaming of connecting Kashmir to the rest of the country. They were dreaming of building a railway from Uri along the banks of river Jhelum," he said. "You have done what the British could not do and connected Kashmir with the rest of India." Abdullah said he would be at fault if he didn't mention former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee who declared this project as that of national importance.