J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Presses Centre on Statehood Timeline

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah addressed the Legislative Assembly on Monday, demanding the Centre clarify its timeline for restoring statehood. He questioned the vague phrase "as soon as possible" and asked when New Delhi considers the "appropriate time" to act.

Omar argued that conditioning statehood on the end of militancy effectively places the decision in Pakistan's hands. He cited Pakistan's role in incidents like Uri and Pulwama, asking if New Delhi is waiting for Islamabad to stop violence before restoring status.

“If you are saying that statehood will not come until militancy ends, then you are effectively saying that the decision on the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir does not lie in New Delhi but in Islamabad.”

The Chief Minister stated J&K has accepted that the decision rests with New Delhi. He warned that if the Prime Minister has already decided against restoring statehood during his tenure, it would be a matter of great regret.

Omar defended the resolution's wording, noting the government deliberately excluded Article 370 and Article 35A. He said this was done to prevent any pretext for disrupting the House proceedings.