Omar Revives Statehood Hope
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has vowed to renew discussions on the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking at a recent gathering in Srinagar, Abdullah criticized the delay in restoring full statehood, describing it as a betrayal of promises made after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
According to Abdullah, the people of J&K continue to suffer under the Union Territory model, which he claims has diluted local governance and eroded public trust. “We were assured that statehood would be restored soon. Years have passed, but the promise remains unfulfilled,” Abdullah said, reiterating his party's commitment to pursuing this goal relentlessly.
Abdullah's move comes ahead of the much-anticipated J&K Assembly elections, expected to be held in 2024. Analysts see this as a strategic effort to reestablish the National Conference's relevance in a political landscape now dominated by the BJP's narrative of “development and integration.”
While the BJP argues that its governance model has ushered in a new era of progress for J&K, opposition parties, including Abdullah’s National Conference, accuse the central government of undermining democratic structures and failing to address ground realities.
Public sentiment, too, appears divided. While some citizens support the BJP's focus on infrastructure and security, others echo Abdullah’s call for a return to statehood, emphasizing the need for greater autonomy and accountability in governance.
Omar Abdullah's promise to take up the matter directly with PM Modi could spark a fresh wave of political discourse in J&K, potentially reshaping the region's electoral dynamics in the coming months.
