Kiren Rijiju reiterates Centre's resolve to restore Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir in due course

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju discusses restoration of Jammu and Kashmir statehood, Waqf Bill, and budgetary allocations in 2025.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday (February 15, 2025) said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have made it clear that Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir will be restored in due course of time.

However, Mr. Rijiju, who holds the Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs portfolios, declined to give a timeline for the restoration of Statehood to the Union Territory.

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"The Prime Minister and the Home Minister made clear indications in the past that in due course of time, Statehood will be restored (to Jammu and Kashmir) and the powers and functions will be demarcated very clearly," Mr. Rijiju told reporters in Srinagar.

The Lok Sabha MP from Arunachal West said he would not like to comment on the timeline for restoration of Statehood or division of powers between the Lieutenant Governor and the elected Chief Minister at this time as his visit to Kashmir was confined to the Union Budget.

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"Therefore, I would not like to venture into the political and governance side… I can only say that Jammu and Kashmir is within the status of a Union Territory at this time. The Lieutenant Governor is the administrative head of the UT but we have also elected a government. We have a very successful government which was elected very recently," he said.