Statehood within reach? Omar Abdullah’s optimistic take on J-K’s future
J-K: Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah expressed optimism about the restoration of statehood, stating that he believes the time has come for it to happen
Jammu and Kashmir: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed optimism about the early restoration of the region's statehood. In a recent interaction, he emphasized that the Union Territory (UT) status is temporary and highlighted commitments from the central government to reinstate statehood. Abdullah stated, "We have commitments from the Government of India, particularly from the prime minister, home minister and others that statehood will be restored to J-K and we hope that happens at the earliest."
Jammu and Kashmir's statehood
In line with this objective, the newly formed government, under Abdullah's leadership, passed a resolution in its first cabinet meeting urging the central government to restore Jammu and Kashmir's statehood. The Chief Minister plans to present this resolution to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, advocating for the reinstatement of statehood "in its original form."
Dignity and Identity
Abdullah also underscored the importance of restoring the region's dignity and identity, asserting that the people of Jammu and Kashmir should have rights over their land, jobs, and resources. He emphasized, "If we cannot live with dignity, if there is no respect of our identity, then all these things are meaningless."
Union Territories
These developments follow the 2019 revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status and its reorganization into two Union Territories. The current administration is actively engaging with central authorities to fulfill promises made regarding the region's governance and autonomy.
