NC MPs Meet President Murmu, Demand J&K Statehood & Rights

A statement issued by the NC said that members of Parliament from the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference in the Rajya Sabha -- Chowdry Ramzan, Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo and Shammi Oberoi on Friday called on President Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and submitted a memorandum highlighting pressing issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir.

"The Members strongly urged the early restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir in line with the assurances made on the floor of Parliament."

"They emphasised the need to protect land and job rights of the local population and called for a comprehensive economic and employment package to address the growing unemployment crisis among the youth," the statement added.

"The MPs also pressed for the return of major hydroelectric power projects presently operated by NHPC Limited to Jammu and Kashmir, saying that the region must receive a fair share of benefits from its own natural resources."

"They further highlighted the serious environmental challenges facing the region, including the impact of climate change and the rapid retreat of glaciers such as the Kolahoi Glacier, and called for urgent scientific and policy interventions to safeguard the fragile Himalayan ecosystem."

Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan, Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo and Shammi Oberoi are NC Rajya Sabha members.

In October last year, four members to the Rajya Sabha were elected in Jammu and Kashmir.

In addition to these three belonging to the NC, Sat Sharma of the BJP had win the fourth seat to the Rajya Sabha from the Union Territory.

All these four seats had been vacant since February 2021 because there was no state Assembly in Jammu and Kashmir till October 2024 when elections were held after Jammu and Kashmir was under the President's Rule in June 2017.

- IANS