Mumbai, Oct 10 As the Supreme Court heard a petition seeking the immediate restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, along with the implementation of directions passed by a constitutional bench in December 2023, Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Nirupam on Friday urged caution, stating that the court must consider the public sentiment and the sensitivity of the region, especially since it is a border area.
Speaking to IANS, Nirupam said: "After the revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir has significantly improved, and terrorism has come under control. This is a major achievement. However, it is also true that when Article 370 was repealed, the state was split into two parts - Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. These are now Union Territories with their own specific demands. The Supreme Court should respect public sentiment in the region and make a decision considering the sensitivities involved. These are sensitive border areas, and any hasty decision could have serious implications. One must ask if Jammu and Kashmir is now ready to regain statehood, why is the process still pending?"
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has granted the Central government four weeks to respond to multiple petitions demanding the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Nirupam also commented on the seat-sharing issue in the NDA as the nomination process for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections started on Friday.
"The issue of seat-sharing within the NDA has been unnecessarily exaggerated in the media. Disputes over seat-sharing are normal in a three-party alliance. While the BJP and the JD-U are the major partners, smaller parties like Chirag Paswan's and Jitan Ram Manjhi's are demanding more seats. Several rounds of discussions are ongoing, and I am confident that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, a balanced decision will be reached. Bihar stands firmly with the NDA, and no party will be able to disrupt this positive environment."
Reacting to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi's criticism of Prime Minister Modi’s praise of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Nirupam said it was wrong of Owaisi to use derogatory language.
"Israel is a friendly country. Netanyahu is currently engaged in freeing Israeli citizens after the Hamas attacks. This is a fight against Hamas, not against Palestinians. If Palestinians want peace, they must free themselves from Hamas. The US President is leading peace efforts, and PM Modi has supported them. Owaisi has no right to object."
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