Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the long-standing demand for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir will be fulfilled at "an appropriate time" even as the elected government completed a year in office.

Responding to a question about Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's recent remarks on a "gulf" remaining between the Union Territory and New Delhi, Shah said, "He (Abdullah) may be saying this out of political compulsions. But statehood would be restored at an appropriate time. And it will be done following discussions with him."

Omar Abdullah, who completed a year as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, meanwhile, stated that he is exploring the possibility of becoming party to a plea in the Supreme Court seeking the restoration of statehood.

The chi

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