SRINAGAR, Feb 13: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday conveyed his hope regarding the restoration of statehood, stating, “I believe that the time is right now.” When asked if he had brought up the matter during his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi earlier this week, Abdullah indicated that the process for restoring statehood was in motion and needed to be completed urgently.
He noted that when the Supreme Court supported the Centre’s move to abrogate Article 370, it referred to statehood being restored “as soon as possible.”
The Centre revoked Article 370, which conferred special status on Jammu and Kashmir, and reorganized the former state into the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in 2019.
“It was discussed to be done as soon as possible, and that was over a year ago. We believe the time has come for this now,” Abdullah mentioned in an exclusive interview with PTI Videos.
The chief minister reflected that he had a “very positive discussion” with the home minister. “This is part of an ongoing dialogue, and I am very optimistic that statehood will be restored soon.” When questioned about whether the gap between Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir had decreased since he assumed office last year, the chief minister remarked that certain incidents, such as the recent killings of two individuals in north Kashmir’s Sopore and in Billawar in Jammu’s Kathua district, sometimes exacerbated the distance.
“…both incidents were regrettable, and I believe they could have been avoided. They should not have occurred at all, and there is now an urgent need for a transparent investigation. If anyone is found guilty, justice should be served,” Abdullah stated.
In Billawar, a 26-year-old man, alleged to be involved in militancy, reportedly committed suicide on February 4 after facing “police harassment.” The following day, a truck driver was killed by army fire for allegedly failing to stop at a checkpost in Sopore, Baramulla district.
After these two incidents, the chief minister expressed concern that such occurrences “risk alienating the very people we need to engage on the path to restoring normalcy.”
Abdullah told PTI Videos that while maintaining security and police is not the direct responsibility of the elected Union Territory government, it is still a shared duty to prevent such incidents from happening.
“Regarding the people, the government is the government. They won’t differentiate who is responsible within the government. It’s our collective responsibility, and it should be our goal to prevent incidents like these from happening. This was a significant part of my discussion with the home minister,” he explained.
Abdullah also dismissed criticisms from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), explaining that it was merely responding to its recent electoral defeat.
“I do not expect them to commend us,” he indicated, showing that he usually does not engage with such comments.
Reflecting on his government’s time in office, which has now surpassed 100 days, Abdullah remarked, “No one elected us for just 100 days. The public elected us for five years, so let us perform our duties.” He acknowledged that governing Jammu and Kashmir is challenging, emphasizing, “Ruling Jammu and Kashmir has never been easy. It wasn’t easy from 2009 to 2015, and it’s not straightforward now. I doubt any chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir could claim their tenure was easy.” “Everyone confronts some challenges. Currently, this is a new circumstance for us. We are a Union Territory. We are adapting, and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is also learning to operate under these conditions,” he added.
When asked if he was feeling pressure from the central government, Abdullah—who is also the National Conference vice-president—jokingly referred to the weather rather than political strain, expressing concern over the possibility of severe water shortages in the upcoming summer.
“There’s too much heat; not from the Centre, not from the lieutenant governor, nor from any officer, but from the weather. This heat is genuinely worrying me. If it persists, we will face water shortages during the summer. This will become our most significant issue, greater than any other,” Abdullah remarked.
He stressed the importance of preparing for these potential shortages and mentioned he had convened a meeting with relevant departments to tackle the situation, expressing hope for crucial rain or snow soon.
“I pray for rain or snow in the coming days. However, at this moment, the daytime temperatures feel like they belong in March or April. I am genuinely anxious that this heat will directly impact us,” he concluded.
