“Not only do we boycott UT Foundation Day, we reject it”: J&K Minister Javed Rana

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], October 31 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir (J-K) Minister and National Conference (NC) leader Javed Ahmed Rana said on Thursday that they are not only “boycotting” the Union Territory (UT) Foundation Day but also “rejecting” it.

Rana told ANI that the NC consistently advocates for the restoration of statehood and special status for J-K.

“Not only do we boycott the UT Foundation Day, but we also reject it. Our mandate is against the UT; we will always talk about state restoration and special status… The abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A, and giving J-K the status of Union Territory was not a good step,” he said.

Earlier today, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti said that her party would continue to observe the Union Territory (UT) Foundation Day as a black day till the special powers of the erstwhile state were not restored.

“… I want to tell Governor Sahab that for Jammu and Kashmir and especially for the PDP, today is a black day. We will continue to observe it as a black day until the special powers of Jammu and Kashmir are not restored, ” Mehbooba Mufti told reporters in Anantnag.

Earlier in the day, J&K LG Manoj Sinha questioned Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and other National Conference (NC) leaders for not attending the sixth Union UT Foundation Day celebrations on Thursday.

In his statement, Sinha underlined the significance of observing UT Day, noting that Jand K’s current status as a Union Territory is a reality.

National Conference leaders have been vocal in their opposition to UT Day, calling for a return to full statehood. NC MLA Tanvir Sadiq earlier stated that the NC would not observe UT Day because the party does not recognize Jammu and Kashmir as a Union Territory, claiming that its status was taken from the people of J-K in 2019 and was unconstitutional.

The J-K UT Foundation Day marks the creation of the Union Territory under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. This year, like the previous one, it was celebrated at the Convention Centre in Jammu.