Members of the ruling National Conference (NC) in Parliament visited President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on Friday. They presented a memorandum addressing key concerns in Jammu and Kashmir. The NC parliamentarians from the Rajya Sabha, including Chowdry Ramzan, Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo, and Shammi Oberoi, stressed the importance of restoring full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir promptly.
The MPs advocated for safeguarding the land and job rights of the local populace. They also called for a comprehensive economic and employment package to tackle the rising youth unemployment crisis. Additionally, they urged for the return of major hydroelectric power projects from NHPC Limited to Jammu and Kashmir to ensure the region benefits equitably from its natural resources.
Furthermore, the parliamentarians raised awareness about significant environmental challenges in the region, such as climate change impacts and the retreat of glaciers like the Kolahoi Glacier. They emphasized the need for immediate scientific and policy actions to protect the fragile Himalayan ecosystem. Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan, Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo, and Shammi Oberoi serve as NC Rajya Sabha members.
In October last year, Jammu and Kashmir elected four members to the Rajya Sabha. Apart from the three NC members, Sat Sharma from the BJP secured the fourth seat in the Union Territory. These seats had been vacant since February 2021 due to the absence of a state Assembly until elections were conducted in October 2024, following the President’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir since June 2017.
