Bihar Governor confirms first phase of assembly polls is ready and calls elections a celebration of democracy.
Khan emphasises that leadership is determined by the people, citing Murmu and Modi as examples.
He addresses Jammu and Kashmir statehood, stressing the need for normalcy and rule of law.
Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Wednesday confirmed that preparations are complete for the first phase of state assembly elections, describing the polls as a celebration of democracy, PTI reported.
“Tomorrow is polling day, and preparations have already been finalised. I am confident that democracy in our country has become very strong,” Khan told reporters after attending an event at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC).
The governor emphasised that leadership is determined by the electorate rather than family background. “The person who runs the government is chosen through the ballot box. They receive a mandate from the people of India and the states for a specific period. They are not sovereign; the people of this country are sovereign,” he said.
Khan cited the examples of President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to highlight that there are no limits to what individuals can achieve. “What message does this send to the common man, especially to the youth? It demonstrates that we have a system where there are no restrictions on how high you can aspire to go. However, you must earn the people's trust. After that, the sky is the limit,” he added.
When questioned about the dual power system in Jammu and Kashmir under the Union Territory setup and the absence of restored statehood, Khan acknowledged the difficulties faced by the region. He referenced the partition of 1947, noting that Kashmir has borne the highest cost.
“We cannot be complacent in thinking that trouble only arises in Kashmir. We are all concerned and desire normal conditions. As you pointed out (regarding statehood), this is the desire of everyone in India. The prime minister wants Kashmir to have the autonomy to decide for itself,” he said.
The governor stressed the need for establishing normalcy before full autonomy could be realised. “It is a collective effort between you and us to create conditions where the rule of law is upheld in the same manner in Kashmir as it is elsewhere,” he added, PTI reported.
(With inputs from PTI)
