Omar Abdullah voices frustration over continued denial of IIOJK statehood
New Delhi: Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed frustration over the continued delay in restoration of statehood, saying the Indian government’s failure to honour its commitment has cost him significant political credibility and fuelled public anger in the occupied territory.
According to Kashmir Media Service, speaking in an interview with journalist Karan Thapar for The Wire, Abdullah said he had invested considerable political credibility in pursuing a constructive relationship with the Indian government in the hope of securing an early restoration of statehood.
He said Delhi’s repeated reference to restoring statehood at an “appropriate time” had eroded public confidence, likening the situation to a marathon in which the finishing line continued to be shifted.
Abdullah rejected any attempt to link restoration of statehood with an end to militancy, arguing that an elected government in IIOJK does not control key aspects of security policy. He said making statehood conditional on security would effectively transfer the decision-making process away from the elected government.
The Chief Minister described the existing arrangement of a Union Territory with an elected Assembly as an “abomination”, pointing to the limited powers of the elected government over key institutions, appointments and administration.
His remarks highlight the continuing political disempowerment of IIOJK following India’s unilateral decision on August 5, 2019, to revoke the territory’s special status and bifurcate the territory into two Union Territories.
Abdullah also maintained that restoration of statehood was a legal prerequisite for restoration of Article 370.
