CM Omar Abdullah Moves Resolution Seeking Restoration of Full Statehood to J&K
SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 25: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday moved a resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly calling upon the Government of India for the immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
The resolution, moved during the ongoing Autumn Session of the Assembly, builds upon resolutions passed by the House on June 26, 2000, and November 6, 2024.
“In addition to the Resolutions passed by this House on 26th June 2000 and 6th November 2024, this House calls upon the Government of India for the immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and resolves that this Resolution be forwarded to Government of India,” the resolution states.
Moving the resolution, Omar Abdullah urged members across the political spectrum to support it unanimously, asserting that restoration of statehood was not an issue confined to either the Treasury or Opposition benches, but one concerning the people of Jammu and Kashmir as a whole.
“I would like to request the House to pass this Resolution, because without statehood, Jammu and Kashmir has suffered immensely. A promise was made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Referring to the sequence of delimitation, elections and restoration of statehood, the Chief Minister said the first two steps had been completed and that people had participated in the electoral process willingly.
“There was an election. People took part in the election. And they took part willingly,” he said, adding that there had been an expectation that restoration of statehood would follow the elections.
Omar Abdullah said the Government of India had been reminded at various forums, both publicly and privately, that the commitment to restore statehood remained to be fulfilled.
“Today, through this House, we want to remind the Government of India that something should be done about your promises,” he said.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's earlier commitment, the Chief Minister said, “When the Prime Minister was giving his speech, he said that this is not an ordinary promise. This is the promise of Modi.”
The Chief Minister also stressed the need for unanimity on the issue, saying that statehood should not be viewed as an issue belonging to one side of the House.
“Statehood is neither of this side nor that side. It is not only of this House. If there is statehood, then it is of the whole of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Explaining what he described as the practical implications of the present constitutional and administrative arrangement, Omar Abdullah referred to the functioning of the Power Development Corporation and the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS).
Referring to a discussion in the House on a hydroelectric project, he said that despite holding the portfolios of Chief Minister and Power Minister, the elected government did not exercise control over the Power Development Corporation in the manner it would under full statehood.
He also cited SKIMS, saying that although the elected government provides budgetary support to the institution, certain decisions concerning the premier healthcare institute do not fall entirely within its purview.
“There are many other instances like these, which I will present at the end of this discussion in front of the House,” he said.
The Chief Minister clarified that the resolution had been drafted in a manner that would neither replace nor undermine earlier resolutions passed by the Assembly.
“This resolution neither replaces them, nor substitutes them, nor ignores them. This resolution is in addition to those resolutions,” he said.
He maintained that the earlier resolutions continued to stand as resolutions of the House, while the latest resolution sought to add to them by reiterating the demand for restoration of full statehood.
Rejecting the possibility of a partial restoration of statehood, Omar Abdullah said the elected government wanted the complete restoration of the status that had been promised.
“What we hear in the media that we will get a half state, we will get a quarter state, we will get a state without law and order. No, we do not want such a state. We have been promised a full state and we want a full state back,” he said.
The Chief Minister concluded by urging members to participate in the discussion and support the resolution seeking the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
