Kashmir Impulse Desk
Amritsar, Sep 17
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday renewed his demand for restoration of statehood, saying assurances from the central government had not been put in writing.
Abdullah was speaking to reporters in Amritsar, where he inaugurated the renovated Jammu and Kashmir House building.
He also wished Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 76th birthday.
Asked what he expected from Modi on his birthday, Abdullah said restoration of statehood would be welcome.
Abdullah said Jammu and Kashmir had been told that statehood would be restored after elections but that no written commitment had been provided.
“We were told that statehood would be restored after the elections. But nothing was given in writing; only verbal assurances were given,” he said.
He also advised leaders in Ladakh seeking constitutional safeguards on land and jobs to seek written commitments from the Centre.
“Have them in writing,” Abdullah said, referring to assurances, adding that Jammu and Kashmir had not received such a written commitment.
Abdullah said the Centre had outlined a three-stage process involving delimitation, Assembly elections and restoration of statehood.
Delimitation and Assembly elections had taken place, he said, but statehood had yet to be restored.
In August 2019, the Indian government revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status and divided the former state into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The Supreme Court upheld the move in December 2023 and directed that statehood for Jammu and Kashmir be restored as soon as possible.
