SRINAGAR: The Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC), a civil society collective comprising former government officers, technocrats and professionals, has voiced deep disappointment over what it termed as the “inordinate delay” in restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
In a meeting held here, the GCC said the prolonged political uncertainty was having a corrosive effect across sectors and warned of a growing crisis of public confidence in democratic institutions. “The diarchy in governance, as it obtains on ground, is fraught with dangerous consequences,” the group said in a statement issued after the meeting.
The group expressed particular concern over record levels of educated unemployment and what it described as a breakdown in mechanisms for redress of public grievances. “Expectations attached to an elected government coming into being after a hiatus of over six years risk turning into a big disappointment,” the statement read.
Referring to the Supreme Court verdict of December 11, 2023, which directed that statehood be restored to Jammu and Kashmir “at the earliest and as soon as possible,” the GCC urged the Union Government to act without further dithering. The group reminded that the Attorney General of India had assured the court of early action in this regard.
GCC identifies itself as a non-political platform composed of retired civil servants, academics, judges, lawyers, doctors, engineers and entrepreneurs. The group has previously spoken out on matters concerning governance, civil liberties and constitutional rights in the region. The statement circulated through Whatsapp offered no details of the members who attended the meeting.
