J&K politicians questioned home minister Amit Shah for restoration of statehood once normalcy is restored and sought the definition of “normalcy”.

Shah on Saturday, while virtually launching the district good governance index of J&K, said as soon as the situation becomes normal, statehood will be given back.

“Delimitation has started and soon elections will be held. I’ve given assurance in the Lok Sabha that as soon as the situation becomes normal in Jammu and Kashmir, statehood will be given back to J&K.”

However, mainstream politicians have criticised the statement of Shah on normalcy and good governance index in J&K. “After quite literally terrorising people of J&K into silence to create a false normalcy narrative, the GOIs admission that situation still isn’t normal is self-contradictory. Also proves that silence shouldn’t be misconstrued as normalcy,” PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said in a tweet.

Peoples Conference chairman Sajjad Lone sought the definition of normalcy from the home minister. “But who will define normalcy. And in a federal structure, can we really use normalcy as an excuse to assume power. Irrespective of the definition of normalcy possibly coined by the Union government, every single stateless day is an affront to federalism and to the people of J & K,” Sajjad Lone said in a tweet.

CPI general secretary and Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami said that one of the principle fundamentals of good governance is participation and representation, a right which continues to be “denied” to the people of J&K. “Releasing such indexes is intended to help the government in optics wise. However, the ground reality of dilapidated roads, erratic power supply, inaccessibility of potable water combined with huge unemployment, social unrest is reflecting contrasting picture,” said Tarigami in a tweet.

“Number of political prisoners detained on flimsy grounds under draconian laws in and outside J&K jails are ill. Families find it extremely difficult to meet them due to poverty and Covid restrictions. The administration continues to be insensitive,” he said.

Earlier addressing the launch, Shah said, “I want to congratulate all residents of Jammu and Kashmir for the launch of the district good governance index. This is an important day not just for J&K but for entire India.”

Shah said the beginning of this index in Jammu and Kashmir will slowly expand to all other states and a good governance competition will start in every district of the country. He said the index will benefit residents of Jammu and Kashmir in a big way as it will work towards improving the district machinery, make districts result-oriented and also improve their delivery mechanism.

The district good governance index, which has been launched for 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday has been prepared by the department of administrative reforms and public grievances (DARPG) in partnership with the union territory’s administration and is a major reform in bench-marking good governance at the district level.