Omar Abdullah Says Hopes for J&K Statehood “Diminishing,” But Not Lost Yet
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday admitted that his initial optimism over the restoration of statehood has been “diminishing” as the process continues to drag on. However, he maintained that his faith in eventual restoration still remains.
“My optimism has reduced a bit but not disappeared,” Abdullah told reporters after the second day of the ongoing assembly session. “It’s human nature — the longer we wait, the weaker the hope becomes. Still, it’s only been a year, so there’s reason to stay hopeful.”
Asked about his course of action if statehood is not restored soon, Abdullah replied, “Let’s reach that point first. We’ll talk then.” He refused to comment on reports suggesting he might resign if the Centre fails to restore statehood within a fixed timeline.
The chief minister highlighted the challenges of governance under the Union Territory (UT) framework, saying the demand for statehood was driven by practical administrative difficulties.
“If running a UT was easy, every state would want to become one,” he said. “Departments are under me, and I’m answerable to the House, but the officers are not of my choosing. Several institutions that should be under the elected government still aren’t.”
Abdullah also took aim at the BJP, accusing its 28 MLAs of maintaining silence on the statehood issue.
“I know where I stand on this. But what about those 28 BJP MLAs? They sought votes on the promise of restoring statehood, and yet the Centre hasn’t delivered,” he said.
He lamented that attempts to discuss statehood in the assembly were blocked by the Speaker, who said the matter was sub judice.
The chief minister further revealed that the UT’s “business rules,” framed under the J&K Reorganisation Act of 2019, were still pending approval from the Centre. “We’ve had a few rounds of talks. The rules are entirely within the framework of the Reorganisation Act, and we expect them to be cleared soon,” he said.
On other issues, Abdullah strongly criticized the detention of AAP MLA Mehraj Malik under the Public Safety Act (PSA), calling it “unjustified.”
“We have a Union minister who called an entire community disloyal and faced no action. What did Mehraj Malik do to deserve this?” he asked.
Responding to BJP allegations that his government was neglecting flood-affected areas in Hindu-majority Jammu, Abdullah said, “The BJP thinks we govern like they do. We don’t discriminate by religion or region. Aid will be distributed purely based on assessed losses.”
On the upcoming Budgam bypolls, Abdullah acknowledged internal challenges within his party but expressed confidence in the voters’ judgment.
“Every by-election is a challenge, especially in Budgam, where internal politics adds to the complexity. Still, I trust the people will make the right choice,” he said.
Without naming dissident MP Aga Ruhullah, Abdullah suggested that Budgam’s underdevelopment was due to its past representatives.
“Budgam is close to Srinagar but has seen little progress. Those who represented it for years should answer for that. We will now work to change this,” he said.
Addressing remarks from Anantnag–Rajouri MP Mian Altaf Ahmad, Abdullah described him as a “father figure” and said he respected his counsel.
“Altaf sahib is a senior leader. He advised me to think before I speak — my father says the same. I value his advice deeply,” Abdullah said, while dismissing speculation that Ahmad and Ruhullah were aligned politically.
