J&K enjoys special status, needs to be protected, preserved: Mehbooba
08 August, Srinagar
Terming peace imperative for development, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti Tuesday said the special status enjoyed by the Jammu and Kashmir under the Constitution needs to be protected and preserved.
Addressing a public meeting after inaugurating Randakdaji-Jawalapora-Gaffarabad road in central Kashmir district of Badgam Tuesday, the Chief Minister said the legislature of the State enjoys huge powers unlike any other State Assembly.
She stressed on preserving and protecting this status for which she appealed every section of the society. People from both sides of the LoC must travel freely that is ” Azadi”, she said adding she wanted that a trader should travel to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) sell fruit and other products there. We are facing acute shortage of essentials when our highway gets closed therefore we must reopen all roads with other side so that our products, particularly fruit reaches to different parts of the world.
Reminding people of recent passage of Goods and Service Tax (GST) Act by the State Assembly, Ms Mehbooba said Jammu & Kashmir has enacted its own law in this regard which no other State in the country has.
She said the guarantees carried in the said Presidential Order reflect the special status Jammu & Kashmir enjoys within the constitution of India.
The Chief Minister said opening of historic routes along Line of Control (LoC) in the State, frequent exchange of students, artists and other groups are the ideas which once worked would bring a lasting peace in the State by promoting more people to people exchanges.
Terming peace imperative for development, Ms Mehbooba said only a conducive peaceful atmosphere can lead the State to prosperity and resolution of the issues. She said Government has taken up several developmental programmes this year which could not be taken up last year due to unrest. She said her Government has taken up developmental activities in areas which so far have remained neglected.