The Indian Government has clarified that it hasn’t formed a Group of Ministers (GoM) to look into the affairs of Jammu & Kashmir. The denial came following reports by mainstream media outlets claiming that a group of five ministers has been formed.
#NewsAlert – Reports about government setting up Group of Ministers on Jammu & Kashmir incorrect and there has been no proposal to set up GoM, says the government. @maryashakil with more details on #TheNationAt5 with @SiddiquiMaha. pic.twitter.com/kJinwrpIfe
— News18 (@CNNnews18) August 28, 2019
The PTI had claimed in its report on Wednesday, which was reproduced by various media outlets including TOI, Business Standard, Deccan Herald, Economic Times and The Week among others, had claimed that a GoM had been constituted to look into the development, economic and social issues in the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh that is due to come into existence on the 31st of October.
The report had claimed that according to government ‘sources’, “Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister for the PMO Jitendra Singh and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan are part of the group.” It was also reported that the first meeting of the group will take place in the first week of September.
The Government has now asserted that such claims are untrue and no such GoM has neither been formed nor under consideration.