On Modi’s birthday, CM Omar Abdullah wishes PM would grant J&K statehood
Omar Abdullah renews call for Jammu and Kashmir statehood on PM Modi’s birthday
Bharatmorningnews.com – Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah used Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday to renew his appeal for the restoration of statehood, saying the Union Territory has received assurances but no written commitment or final decision.
Speaking in Amritsar on Thursday, Abdullah said the return of statehood would be the most meaningful step the Centre could take for Jammu and Kashmir. He was visiting the city for the inauguration of the renovated heritage building of Jammu & Kashmir House on Court Road.
“What can I say as to what he does… If nothing else, let him grant us statehood; what else could we want?”
His remarks reflected the National Conference’s continued focus on restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s former constitutional and administrative status. Abdullah said people had been led to expect that statehood would follow the Assembly elections, but said those expectations had not been backed by a written assurance.
“You all know what happened with us. We were told that statehood would be restored after the elections. But nothing was given in writing; only verbal assurances were given.”
Warning against relying on verbal commitments
Abdullah also addressed the concerns of people in Ladakh, where demands for constitutional protections related to land and employment have remained prominent. He advised Ladakh’s leadership to seek formal, written guarantees from the Centre rather than relying solely on public assurances.
“Hence, I suggest to people and friends in Ladakh not to trust the Centre’s words… Rather, have them in writing. We did not get anything in writing, and we are at the same place today. J&K has been a victim of the Centre’s verbal assurances.”
Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were created as separate Union Territories after the Centre revoked Article 370 on August 5, 2019. The constitutional provision had granted special status to the former state of Jammu and Kashmir. The reorganisation also changed the territory’s governance structure, with Jammu and Kashmir retaining a legislature while Ladakh became a Union Territory without one.
Abdullah said the Centre had earlier described a sequence of steps that would include delimitation of Assembly constituencies, elections and then the restoration of statehood. The first two stages have taken place, he said, but the final step remains pending.
“Even in Parliament and in the Supreme Court, this assurance was given. While we saw delimitation and elections in J&K, in which people participated, statehood has not been restored even till now.”
Statehood remains central to National Conference campaign
The statehood issue has become a central political demand for Abdullah and the National Conference. The party has argued that elected government in Jammu and Kashmir should be accompanied by the powers and standing associated with a full state, rather than the more limited framework of a Union Territory.
In December 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the Centre’s decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and divide the former state into two Union Territories. At the same time, the court said Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood should be restored as soon as possible.
For Abdullah, the absence of a timetable has become a key point of criticism. In July, he announced a new phase of the National Conference’s campaign and said the party would intensify its effort by taking its demand for statehood to the national capital.
“Enough is enough! There will be no more waiting!”
Later that month, Abdullah described statehood as an essential foundation for any larger discussion about Jammu and Kashmir’s political future. He maintained that calls for restoring Article 370 cannot be separated from the demand for statehood.
“We are seeking the base i.e statehood from this government. And Article 370 ( restoration) is meaningless without statehood.”
The debate carries practical as well as political significance. Statehood would alter Jammu and Kashmir’s relationship with the Union government and return it to the constitutional position it held before August 2019. For its supporters, the demand is tied to democratic representation, local decision-making and the authority of an elected government.
Abdullah’s latest appeal places the issue back in national focus at a time when expectations continue to centre on whether the Centre will set out a clear path and date for restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
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