SRINAGAR, Oct 27: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday voiced deep frustration over the prolonged delay in restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, saying his hopes were “diminishing” as the issue continues to linger without a definitive response from the Union government.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Abdullah said that while he had initially been optimistic about the Centre fulfilling its commitment, the delay had eroded that confidence. “I was hopeful (about statehood restoration) from day one, but that hope is diminishing. The longer this issue drags on, the hopes will fade. The longer you make us wait, the less hopeful we will be,” he said.
He, however, maintained that a “flicker of hope” still remained. “There still is some hopefulness there. If it happens within this hopefulness, it will be better,” he added.
When asked about reports suggesting that he might resign if statehood was not restored within a fixed timeframe, Abdullah declined to comment. “I am not going to say anything about that. The interviewer asked me the same question. If I did not answer her, what makes you think I’ll answer you?” he said sharply.
The Chief Minister criticised the administrative hurdles faced under the Union Territory structure, arguing that the current setup curtails the authority of the elected government. “If there were no obstacles in governance in a UT set up, am I mad to seek statehood? If it were easy in a UT, then all states would have sought to be one. There are departments where I have to answer before the House, but the officer in charge is not of my choice. Several institutions that should have been under the control of the elected government are still not with us,” Abdullah said.
He also expressed disappointment that the Speaker of the Assembly had barred discussion on the statehood issue, saying it deprived the public of knowing where the BJP’s 28 MLAs stood. “We wanted to talk about it. One MLA had tried to bring a resolution on statehood, but the Speaker put a bar on it. I know where we stand, but the BJP, which sought votes on statehood, has stayed silent even as the Centre failed to deliver on its promise,” he said.
Abdullah revealed that the business rules for the Union Territory government were still awaiting the Centre’s approval. “A couple of rounds of discussions have taken place between our officers and the Centre. They raised some questions, but we told them these rules are within the JK Reorganisation Act and should be approved,” he noted.
On the detention of AAP MLA Mehraj Malik under the Public Safety Act (PSA), Abdullah called it “unjustified.” “Whatever Mehraj Malik did, it did not warrant a PSA. We have a Union minister who branded the entire Muslim community disloyal. If he got away with it, what wrong did Mehraj Malik do?” he asked.
Abdullah also took issue with the Speaker’s interpretation that no sub-judice matter could be discussed in the Assembly. “If every sub-judice matter cannot be discussed, people will rush to courts just to stop us from talking about issues in the Assembly,” he warned.
Turning his ire towards the BJP, the Chief Minister lashed out at the party’s MLAs for alleging that his government ignored flood-hit areas of Jammu because they were Hindu-majority. “The BJP is under the wrong impression that we govern like they do. It’s the BJP that has kept 15 per cent of the population out of the Union government. They do not have a single Muslim MP in the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha, nor do they find one fit to be a minister,” Abdullah said. “We will seek funds and distribute them based on the scale of losses, not on the basis of region or religion,” he asserted.
Asked about the upcoming Budgam bypolls, Abdullah admitted that internal politics within his party had made the contest more complex. “Any bye-election is a challenge for a government. In Budgam, this challenge is multiplied by the complexities of voter distribution and some internal politics playing out. That said, I’m hopeful people will make the right choice,” he said.
Without naming former MP Aga Ruhullah, Abdullah said the lack of development in Budgam was the fault of those who had represented it in the past. “People say the nearer Budgam is to Srinagar, the less it has developed. We want to change that. Those who represented Budgam for years are responsible for its state. If they couldn’t do it, we will,” he said.
Responding to criticism from senior party leader and MP Mian Altaf Ahmad, Abdullah said he respected the veteran’s advice. “I respect Altaf Sahib a lot. He is a senior leader and like a father figure to me. He said I should think before making statements — my father says the same thing. There’s no difference between them,” he smiled.
When asked about criticism from Ruhullah, Abdullah refused to engage. “Who are you bringing on the same platform? There’s a vast difference between the two,” he concluded.
With his tone alternating between frustration and resolve, Abdullah’s remarks reflected both his growing impatience with the Union government’s delay and his determination to keep the issue of statehood alive in the political discourse of Jammu and Kashmir.
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