Preparations have started for assembly polls in J-K, says PM Modi; indicates early restoration of statehood

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], June 20 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said "time is not far" when the people of Jammu and Kashmir will elect a new government in assembly polls and indicated that statehood will be resorted soon to the union territory.
Participating in the 'Empowering Youth, Transforming J&K' event at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar here, the Prime Minister said the government has taken the recent terror attacks very seriously and will not hesitate to teach a lesson to the enemies of Jammu and Kashmir.
"The people of Jammu and Kashmir elect their representatives at the local level, through them you find ways to solve problems, what can be better than this? Therefore, now the preparations for the Assembly elections have also started. The time is not far when you will elect the new government of Jammu and Kashmir with your votes. That day will also come soon, when Jammu and Kashmir will once again make its future better as a state," he said.
The BJP-led government scrapped Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019 and bifurcated the state into two union territories. There have been demands from political parties for early assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and restoration of statehood.
PM Modi said that 84 major developmental projects valued at more than Rs 1,500 crore were inaugurated on Thursday.
"Projects related to the agriculture sector worth Rs 1800 crore were inaugurated. New national highways and expressways are being constructed here. Every Indian feels proud when they see pictures of the world's highest bridge on the river Chenab," he said.
"The whole world is witnessing the changes in Kashmir Valley...Humara Kashmir kitna aage badh gaya hai'...You will see that the International Yoga Day celebration will also become an attraction for tourists," he added.
With the BJP-led NDA government returning to power for third time, PM Modi said India has entered a new era of stable governments.
"The last decade of the last century has seen a long period of unstable governments...Elections were held five times in 10 years. That means the country kept conducting elections and there was nothing else to do. Due to this instability, uncertainty, when it was time for India to take off, we became grounded, we suffered a lot. Leaving that period behind, now India has entered a new era of stable government. This has strengthened our democracy. Jammu and Kashmir have played a very big role in strengthening democracy," PM Modi said.
"The changes we are seeing in Jammu and Kashmir today is the result of our work in the last 10 years," he added.
PM Modi said the NDA government has been re-elected due to its performance and that a government had been elected at the Centre for third successive term after 60 years.
"An aspirational society has only one parameter - performance. The country saw the performance and it is the result of this performance that the government has got a chance for the third time. Our government performs and delivers results. Forming the government for the third time has given a message of stability to the world," he said.
"The government has taken the recent terror attacks very seriously. I assure you that we will not hesitate to teach a lesson to the enemies of Jammu and Kashmir," he added.
PM Modi arrived in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday for a two-day visit.
This is PM Modi's first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after taking oath as Prime Minister for a third straight term.
On June 21, Prime Minister Modi will lead the International Yoga Day celebrations at SKICC, Srinagar.
Since 2015, the Prime Minister has led the International Day of Yoga (IDY) celebrations at various iconic locations, including Kartavya Path in Delhi, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Ranchi, Lucknow, Mysuru and even the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
This year's theme, "Yoga for Self and Society," highlights the dual role of yoga in fostering individual and societal well-being. The event will encourage grassroots participation and the spread of yoga in rural areas. (ANI)