Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Friday moved a resolution in the legislative assembly seeking urgent restoration of full statehood to the union territory.
However, the resolution faced a backlash from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators, who jumped into the well of the House to protest against the National Conference (NC) government and began sloganeering. The protest began when the CM started speaking on the immediate restoration of statehood, referencing the resolution passed in the House in 2000.
This is the second time that the NC government has moved a resolution in the House seeking restoration of full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier, on November 6, 2024, a resolution was passed for the same. On August 5, 2019, the central government abrogated Article 370 and passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act. This stripped the region of its statehood, reorganising it into two UTs: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Amid the backlash, Omar said the resolution should be discussed and passed because not getting statehood has proved to be a great loss for J&K.
The resolution reads: “In addition to the resolutions passed by this House on 26 June 2000 and 6 November 2024, the House calls upon the government of India (GoI) for the immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and resolves that this resolution be forwarded to the GoI.” The NC-led government headed by Farooq Abdullah had passed the resolution on June 26, 2000 for restoration of greater autonomy as existed before August 9, 1953.
Omar, while addressing the assembly, said, “A promise was made to the people of J&K that a three-step process would be implemented in Parliament, the Supreme Court and various public forums. First was delimitation, then elections and then statehood. The process of delimitation and statehood was not in our favour. Elections took place, people participated in the elections of their own free will, even voters came out from areas where we had no hope. People also voted with the hope that the third step would be completed after the elections. We kept waiting. Publicly, privately, in every meeting, in every forum, we reminded the GoI that you have made a promise to the people of J&K, but that promise is not being fulfilled.”
{{/usCountry}}Omar, while addressing the assembly, said, “A promise was made to the people of J&K that a three-step process would be implemented in Parliament, the Supreme Court and various public forums. First was delimitation, then elections and then statehood. The process of delimitation and statehood was not in our favour. Elections took place, people participated in the elections of their own free will, even voters came out from areas where we had no hope. People also voted with the hope that the third step would be completed after the elections. We kept waiting. Publicly, privately, in every meeting, in every forum, we reminded the GoI that you have made a promise to the people of J&K, but that promise is not being fulfilled.”
{{/usCountry}}Omar said that today, through this House, we want to remind the Centre that its promises should be fulfilled. “Even the Prime Minister said ‘Yeh Modi Ka Vaada hai’ (This is Modi’s promise). I spoke to him (PM) about statehood and told him that this is the promise of the GoI.”
Omar said the Leader of Opposition (LoP) makes a statement on statehood every second or third day. “We thought that it would be better to discuss this once in the House. I would say that it should be unanimous because statehood is the demand of everybody in J&K. If there is statehood, then it is for the entire J&K.”
Omar gave examples of how the lack of statehood is hindering development and other projects. “On Thursday, in zero hour, MLA Bandipora, Nizamuddin Bhat raised the Hydroelectric Project. And he made a very important point about the project for the people of J&K that is being delayed unnecessarily. In the last government, I was the chairman of the Power Development Corporation. I used to sit on its board and take decisions. Today, as CM as power minister, I do not have the Power Development Corporation in my hands. We do not get its files,” the CM said.
“Now, on the one hand, it is said that in the UT, it is for the elected government to decide things, then why not the Power Development Corporation? Today, health minister Sakina Itoo spoke about how the elected government does not get the files of the schemes. We have a premier health institution but we do not get the files. There are many other examples like this, which I will present at the end of this discussion before the House. But today, we have brought this resolution and its verdict,” Omar said.
Criticising the BJP, Omar said they don’t want the statehood of J&K to be voted on. “They (BJP) want to avoid this vote for some reason.” the CM said.
‘No one is asking for a vote on Article 370’
“No one is asking for a vote on the special status of J&K. Today, no one is asking for a vote on autonomy. That resolution has already been passed. It is the property of the House. The resolution that has been brought does not subsume those resolutions. We are not bringing those resolutions for a vote again. Today, we are asking for a vote on statehood only. And they are not ready to vote on statehood,” Omar said, adding that he hoped that the House would vote on this resolution. “We will send this resolution to the GoI.”
Omar questioned the BJP leadership as to how asking for statehood has become anti-national. “What is anti-national about this? We have not brought a resolution on autonomy. In this resolution, tell me one anti-national word that we have used.”
Omar said that the reality is that the BJP leadership is strongly against J&K’s statehood. “Today, if there is an opponent of J&K’s statehood, if there is an obstacle to J&K’s statehood, then these 28 BJP MLAs are the obstacles to statehood. And today, this is being proved in the House.”
Statehood resolution historic in J&K’s history: NC chief spokesman
“Today, history is made in the J&K assembly. The statehood resolution, with a clear reference to June 26, 2000, and the 2024 resolution, is a powerful reminder that the NC has never forgotten its agenda — and will never compromise on its principles. The struggle for dignity, identity and statehood continues,” said NC chief spokesman and legislator Tanvir Sadiq.
LoP Sunil Sharma termed it a controversial resolution. “Omar has smuggled in the 2024 special status resolution again through a new resolution. This is totally controversial and unacceptable, BJP will not tolerate it at all. NC is doing all this to distract people from their failures and befool the people of J&K, especially Kashmir.”
Sharma also asked Congress to clear its stand. “Congress must clear its stand, does it stand with this 370 and autonomy resolution or with the government? It cannot run with the hare and hunt with the hounds. Its position must be made absolutely clear,” he said.