Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today vowed to take up the issue of restoring the region’s statehood with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah soon.
Speaking on the 42nd foundation day of the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) on December 5, 2024, he emphasised the urgent need to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and stressed that the promises made to the people of the region must be upheld without compromise.
“Restoration of statehood is not just a demand but a rightful expectation of the people of J&K. It is a matter of fulfilling the assurances given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during parliamentary and assembly elections. The enthusiastic turnout in these elections reflected the people’s trust, which must not be betrayed,” he said.
Omar Abdullah said that Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had been preoccupied with elections in Maharashtra and other states. “Now that those elections are behind us, we will engage with them again. We expect the restoration of statehood to J&K without further delay,” he stated.
Omar further stated that the overwhelming participation of the people in the recent elections was a clear indication of their commitment to the democratic process. “This trust must be reciprocated by honoring the pledges made to them,” he added.
Referring to the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state into two Union Territories on August 5, 2019, the Chief Minister noted that the public holiday on the birth anniversary of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was cancelled by the Lieutenant Governor’s administration from 2020 onwards. Sheikh Abdullah, the founder of the National Conference, was born on December 5, 1905, in the Soura area of Srinagar.
When questioned about the cancellation of the public holiday in Sheikh Abdullah’s honour, Omar reiterated that the broader goal remains the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. “Our fight is significant—it’s about regaining J&K’s status as a state. This is a promise that must be kept, not for us but for the people who placed their faith in these assurances,” he said.
The Chief Minister also raised concerns regarding the issue of surveys being conducted in mosques and shrines across India. He emphasized the importance of protecting India’s secular fabric, stating, “By attacking our mosques, shrines, and the way we practice our religion, you are victimizing us. This is not the India that Jammu and Kashmir was a part of. This is not the India our founding fathers had envisioned.”
He added that any systematic targeting of mosques or religious institutions threatens the fundamental secular principles of India and is completely unacceptable. “We do not seek appeasement, but that does not justify targeting us. J&K has always been an integral part of India’s secular ethos, and preserving this legacy is paramount,” Omar stated.
