Restoration of statehood: Have sought support of various parties to push for bill in Parliament: CM Omar

Srinagar, Aug 6: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said he has written to several parties with a sizeable presence in Parliament, seeking their support for the introduction of a bill for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood in the ongoing Monsoon session.

The Centre abrogated Article 370, which accorded a special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, on August 5, 2019, and divided it into two union territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

“I have written a letter to all those parties who have a good number of MPs in Parliament and requested them to help on the promise made to Jammu and Kashmir on statehood and raise the issue in Parliament so that a bill is brought in this session itself and Jammu and Kashmir gets its statehood back,” Abdullah told reporters here.

He said the issue was not of an individual or a party, or even a government, “it is about the promise made to the people of J&K”.

“The promise was made in public rallies, in the Supreme Court and Parliament. We want the promise to be fulfilled,” he added.

On the Supreme Court likely to hear a plea for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood on August 8, Abdullah said the restoration should come through the court if the government does not do it.

“It is a good thing and I hope the Supreme Court keeps in mind is that when they gave a judgement on the August 5 case (in December 2023), they had said that the statehood should be restored as soon as possible.

“Now, many years have passed but we have not got it yet,” he said. He said had the SC not set a deadline for conducting assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, “perhaps I would not have been talking to you as the chief minister today”. “The elections were held because the SC had set a deadline and the elections were held in that time frame. We want that much time has passed now and if it (restoration of statehood) does not come through the government, then it should come through the court,” he said.

The CM’s outreach comes amidst a growing demand for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood. His push is a renewed effort to hold the Centre accountable for its commitment to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

On July 29, Abdullah wrote a letter to the presidents of 42 political parties, including Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, urging them to press the Centre to bring a legislation in the Monsoon session to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.