Omar Abdullah
Credit: PTI Photo
Srinagar: National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah Wednesday said that his party was against deceiving people over the restoration of Article 370 to Jammu and Kashmir as “expectation of getting special status reinstated under the same Central government that scrapped it would be “foolishness.”
He also said the resolution demanding the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood must be the first order to be passed in the cabinet meeting of the new government.
A day after the NC's decisive victory in the Assembly elections, Omar emphasized that his party's stance on Article 370 remains unchanged. “Our political stand won’t change. We never said that we would be silent on the issue of Article 370 or that it is not an issue for us anymore. But we are not ready to fool people,” he told reporters, here.
54-year-old Omar, who is set to take over as chief minister for the second time, expressed hope that a future change in government in New Delhi would open avenues for dialogue on the matter. “One day, the government and the Prime Minister will change, and we will be able to discuss this issue to benefit J&K,” he said.
However, Omar reiterated the NC’s long standing demand for restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, which was revoked in 2019 alongside the abrogation of Article 370.
“The first order of business for the new cabinet must be to pass a resolution calling for the restoration of statehood,” he asserted, urging the chief minister to present this resolution to senior leadership in Delhi, as statehood was promised to the people of J&K, not to any specific party.
The fight for bringing back statehood to Jammu and Kashmir has been one of the key poll points for parties that were competing for power in the Union Territory.
Omar emphasized the need for unity among the residents of Jammu and Kashmir, regardless of their political affiliations. “I am grateful for the mandate given to us, but I am acutely aware of the responsibility it entails,” he remarked. “The people of Jammu and Kashmir have felt unheard since 2018; it’s time to work for everyone, not just those who voted for us.”
In a clear message of inclusivity, the NC leader promised to ensure that the new government will give a voice to underrepresented regions, particularly Jammu, where the party has fewer elected representatives.
“This will not be a government for any particular party or region; it will be a government for every single individual of Jammu and Kashmir, whether they voted for us or not,” he asserted.
Omar also had a word of advice for its alliance partner Congress over the Haryana poll debacle. “The Congress will have to introspect deeply to find reasons for its defeat in Haryana. My job is to run the NC and help the alliance here, which I will,” he said.
In the first election after the abrogation of Article 370, the NC-Congress alliance crossed the majority mark and is set to form the government by winning 48 seats. While the NC won 42 seats, the Congress won six.
For the NC, this election carried a lot of importance as Omar lost to Engineer Rashid in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. After several statements about not contesting polls till the restoration of statehood to J&K, he decided to take the plunge and contest not one but two seats in the Assembly elections and won both the seats.
Haryana Assembly poll 2024 results| Check constituency results here
J&K Assembly poll 2024 results| Check constituency results here
Assembly Elections 2024 | In the first assembly polls since the Lok Sabha elections, Narendra Modi and the BJP face a rejuvenated and vindicated Opposition in the Haryana assembly polls. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir is voting after almost a decade and it remains to be seen how the abrogation of Article 370 has impacted the political landscape of the Valley. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.
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