Hosting G-20 summit privilege for Jammu and Kashmir: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha

J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said it was a matter of privilege for the union territory for hosting the G-20 summit in 2023, reports PTI.

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Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday said it was a matter of privilege for the union territory for hosting the G-20 summit in 2023 and asserted that the administration would put in every effort to make it a grand event. Jammu and Kashmir will be hosting the 2023 meetings of G-20, an influential grouping that brings together the world's major economies, with the union territory administration on Thursday setting up a five-member high-level committee for overall coordination. This will be the first major international summit to be held in J and K after its special status guaranteed under Article 370 of the Constitution was withdrawn and the erstwhile state was divided into two union territories in August 2019.

“It is a very good beginning. It is a matter of privilege for us that we will get the opportunity to host the G-20 summit. We have framed a committee and we will put in all our efforts to make it grand,” Sinha told reporters here.

Earlier in the day, the Lt Governor said the development in the UT can happen only in a peaceful environment.

“If there is no peace, then rest assured no power on earth can bring in development to the place. There are some people who do not like this. They do not want peace here, they want violence. J-K's welfare is in this, we can progress and come closer to or overcome other nations only when there is peace here,” he said.

Sinha said if the UT returns to the phase of strikes and shutdowns and violence, then those days which were very painful, may have to be seen again.

“I appeal to people to remain cautious of these elements. They are not your friends, they want to create hurdles in the way to peace on the directions from the outside. There is a very less number of such people and I want to tell you that our administration and security forces are committed to protect the common man. We will not touch the innocent, that is our policy, but it is our policy as well that the culprits will not be spared in any way,” he said.