The Member of Parliament from Udhampur constituency and Union minister of State in the PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh has said that the detained political leaders in the state would be released within eighteen months.
The statement by Dr. Jitendra Singh was the first from any political representative or minister in the BJP led NDA government on the maximum time for which mainstream political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir may remain under detention.
Pointing out that the media keeps asking about the release of political leaders detained in the state, Singh said that he always says “less than 18 months”,
As reported by a news agency, the statement of Dr Singh was a dig at the political detentions made by Congress Government in 1975, when all the renowned political faces in the opposition were detained for a period of around 18 months.
About the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, Singh said it will not take 72 years, in an apparent reference to the continuation of Article 370 for seven decades.
As the situation normalises, statehood will be restored to Jammu and Kashmir, he added.