Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury not ‘immediately optimistic’ about Modi government’s J&K move

Mr. Chowdhury recalled that the Modi-Shah regime had “vowed to capture the PoK region two years ago, but that turned out to be an empty promise”.

Senior Congress leader Adhir Chowdhury on Friday said he would “rather wait and watch than be immediately optimistic about any overnight change” in Jammu and Kashmir, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with 14 political leaders of the Valley. Mr. Chowdhury, while interacting with reporters at his residence in Baharampur, also said the BJP-led central government, after the revocation of Article 370, had made many promises, but nothing came of it. “I have no faith in the BJP government. I don’t have any great expectation from it. Two years ago, they had promised that any Indian citizen can reside in the union territory. Did that happen? Brahmins (Kashmiri pandits), till date, are scared to return to the Valley. Also, terrorist activities continue unabated,” the veteran leader said.