‘Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah hits out at lack of clarity on restoration of statehood’

Bureau Prayagraj- Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday appealed to the BJP-led central government to issue a clear roadmap for restoring the statehood of the Union Territory. Also, he hit out at BJP for its “unfulfilled promises” and questioned whether their words have no value. “There is no clear answer about restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir. They (BJP) say — ‘at the right time’. What does ‘right time’ mean? I ask them again and again — tell us clearly.

If you say this is your promise, if you have given your word, then don’t your words have any value?” he asked the question while addressing a public meeting in Nowshera border area of Rajouri district. “Should we take your promises so lightly that you repeat them everywhere — in the Supreme Court, in Parliament, in rallies, in elections — and then step back?” he asked while addressing a public meeting in Nowshera border area of Rajouri district. “Just like we fix exams for children — we tell them. They know what they need to achieve in order to pass, first division, or distinction. Similarly, tell us what conditions need to be met to reach that goal.

Asserting that his government was fulfilling its promises, Abdullah said, “We are fulfilling our promises. What you promised the people — where is that? Give us back our statehood, because that is what the people voted for — whether they voted for Congress, National Conference, BJP or any other party.” He said that people had voted with the hope that the alleged injustice done to Jammu and Kashmir would be removed.

“Changing us from a state to a union territory felt like a punishment,” he said. I want to ask those people (BJP) against whom we contested the elections, did they not make promises to the people? Where have his promises gone?” He further said, “Yes, his government was not formed in Jammu and Kashmir, but the central government is his. What was his promise? He had said – Take part in the elections, and after that we will give back the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

The chief minister said the BJP had outlined a three-phase process. “They did not say that if you give power to another party, we will punish you. They had said it would happen in three phases: first delimitation, then elections, and then statehood,” he said. “Delimitation was done — however it happened, it was done. Then elections were held — not one, but two elections in the same year, 2024. First parliamentary elections, then assembly elections. They had said that as soon as the elections are over, statehood will be given back. Today, one and a half years have passed; we are asking: where is that promise?”

The Chief Minister also targeted BJP on the issue of reservation for women. “We had said in Parliament that we support this bill, but delimitation cannot be done without census. What was the compulsion? What was hidden behind this bill?” he said, and alleged that efforts were being made to push the delimitation. Referring to the delimitation process in Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah said, “Have we forgotten how the delimitation happened here? Seven seats were created — six of which were taken by the BJP. Clearly the delimitation was done to consolidate its control.”

“It is a different matter that, by the grace of God, their plans did not succeed completely, and people like Surendra Choudhary (who is now the deputy chief minister) won the elections, so that such conspiracies could be foiled,” Abdullah said, adding that his party will continue to raise such issues. “That is why we constantly confront them, we keep asking them questions. And when we do that, they feel uncomfortable — they are not happy,”