SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Saturday that the situation across the Line of Control (LoC) had vindicated the decision taken by J&K's leaders 80 years ago to join India, and renewed his pitch for the restoration of special status and statehood.
Omar said that had Article 370 not been revoked in 2019, people in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) would today be protesting to reunite with Jammu and Kashmir.
"Sare Jahan Se Achha, Hindustan Hamara; Hum Bulbulein Hain Iski, Yeh Gulistan Hamara," he said after unfurling the tricolour at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar on India's 80th Independence Day.
"Today is a day of joy, a day of remembrance and a day of gratitude," the National Conference leader said, paying tribute to all those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the nation.
Paying tribute to his grandfather and party founder Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, along with local volunteers who resisted tribal raiders from across the border in 1947, the chief minister said thousands had sacrificed their lives to safeguard the territory before the Indian Army arrived.
Referring to the prevailing unrest in PoK, Omar said: "The circumstances today reinforce the belief that the decision taken by the leaders of J&K 80 years ago was the right one."
He recalled the sacrifice of the people of J&K, who raised the call of "Hamlavar Khabardar; Hum Kashmiri Hain, Tayyaar (Attackers beware, Kashmiris are prepared)", and those who made the supreme sacrifice in resisting the tribal invasion.
Expressing concern over the current plight of residents in PoK, who are facing a brutal crackdown by Pakistani troops, Omar reiterated that India considers them its own people, adding that the "J&K Assembly continues to keep seats vacant for them in the hope that one day the people of that part of J&K would be able to occupy those seats."
His comments came amid reportes of more than 90 civilians deaths amid Pakistani troops' crackdown in PoK since the outbreak of unrest in June.
"If our situation had not been altered in 2019 by abrogating Article 370, people of PoK would have been protesting today to reunite with us," Omar said and stressed that restoring J&K's original constitutional guarantees and statehood is vital for renewing the spirit of Indian federalism.
"My government was committed to fight for the restoration of the constitutional guarantees of J&K, regaining its statehood and ushering in a new era of progress and development," he said.
"Whether it is to bring J&K to that level again, whether it is to restore the constitutional guarantees of J&K, whether it is to regain the special status of J&K, or whether it is to start a new era of progress in J&K, the government has not only made promise for return of all these things but will make it a reality," he asserted.
Notably, National Conference leaders had protested in the national capital on the inaugural day of parliament's monsoon session last month, demanding the restoration of statehood to J&K.
Describing democracy and federalism as among the country's two biggest strengths, Omar said: "When the powers of States were eroded, federalism was weakened. Our country is a union of states. To save and strengthen federalism, we must start with J&K. Whatever was taken away from us should be returned so that federalism does not remain confined to words but is implemented in practice."
Touching upon centralised governance models, Abdullah cautioned that federalism suffers when central agencies erode the autonomy of states and cited centralised entrance examinations like NEET and JEE, arguing that while central tests are justified for national institutions like IITs and IIMs, state-run educational institutions should retain the right to conduct their own admissions.
"When the powers of states are hollowed out, the fallout is seen on the streets," he said, linking recent public unrest and student protests in Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir to systemic overreach.
Promising transparent, merit-based recruitment and responsive governance, the chief minister assured the public that his administration is committed to fulfilling their aspirations, and guiding the youth "from darkness to light".