Omar again raises restoration of statehood, downplays telecom control by LG
New Delhi: Demanding immediate restoration of statehood to Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the denial of full state powers continues to deepen the political and administrative crisis in the territory.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Omar stressed that business rules, telecom controls, and other governance matters must rest with an elected setup, not an unelected lieutenant governor. He questioned the New Delhi’s move last week authorizing the IIOJK Lieutenant Governor to exercise telecom powers, including interception, service suspension, and message decryption under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, during public safety events.
“I wish we could have got our statehood after one meeting with Indian home minister. If that was the case, we would have got it a long time ago,” he said.
Observers noted the order further strips elected authority in IIOJK and facilitates frequent internet shutdowns. Omar said orders to stop phone or internet services are issued by the LG-led home department, adding that such powers were not against business rules. The demand for statehood and reversal of New Delhi’s bureaucratic grip was reiterated during Omar Abdullah’s meeting with Indian Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Monday.
