SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday hinted at a “big battle” for restoration of statehood and said that he would talk to PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah about it.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function in Srinagar, Omar said, “We have to fight a big battle. And that battle is for restoration of statehood to J&K.”
On August 5, 2019, the Centre scrapped J&K’s special status and bifurcated erstwhile state into two UTs—Jammu and Kashmir (with legislature) and Ladakh (without legislature).
“We are hoping that the promise made by PM Modi with the people of J&K (not with the NC government) during the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections about restoration of statehood will be fulfilled,” he said.
Omar said in both Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, people overwhelmingly participated without any fear. “They (people) made the Assembly polls successful, hoping that the promise made to them on restoration of statehood will be fulfilled,” the CM said.
Omar said that PM Modi and Shah were busy with Jharkhand and Maharasthra elections. “Now they will have some time and we can talk with them so that J&K gets statehood back as early as possible,” he said.
The NC, which won the first Assembly polls in J&K after Article 370 abrogation, had pledged in its poll manifesto to restore statehood.
The first cabinet meeting of the Omar government on October 19 passed a resolution on restoration of statehood. The cabinet resolution stated that restoration of statehood will be the beginning of a healing process, protecting the identity of the people in J&K.
After the resolution was cleared by Lt-Governor Manoj Sinha, Omar met PM Modi, Shah, Defence Minister Rajnat Singh and other Union ministers and handed over copies of the resolution to them.
Senior NC leader and MLA Tanvir Sadiq, who is close to Omar, said that the CM had positive talks with Modi, Shah and other Union ministers on restoration of statehood.