Srinagar, Aug 7: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said restoration of statehood to the Union Territory is an “essential course correction” and not a “concession” and an issue that goes beyond regional interests.
“It is an issue that goes beyond regional interests and touches the very core of India’s constitutional values and its democratic ethos. The act of reducing J&K from a State to a Union Territory in 2019 and the prolonged delay in restoring its status as a full State you would agree, has profound implications for the future of Indian polity,” the Chief Minister said in a letter to the heads of all national political parties, including NDA allies.
In the letter Omar said the restoration of statehood is a matter that should concern every citizen, not just the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The entire moral premise behind the removal of Article 370 was rooted in the argument of equality–that the people of Jammu and Kashmir must be brought on par with the rest of the country.
“But that principle of equality must work both ways. The denial of statehood is not something that has been imposed on any other region in India; in fact, the historical trajectory has always been from Union Territory to State, not the reverse. To single out the people of J&K for this prolonged and unprecedented disempowerment is not only unjust, it undermines the very rationale that was invoked to justify the changes of August 2019,” Omar said.
The Chief Minister said the people of Jammu and Kashmir turned in record numbers to vote in the Assembly elections despite the “setbacks and disempowerment” they endured.
“…In respectful acknowledgment of this overwhelming mandate, the very first act of business undertaken by my government was the unanimous passage of a resolution calling for the immediate restoration of J&K’s statehood. I personally handed over this resolution to the Hon’ble Prime Minister and impressed upon him the importance of reciprocating the goodwill and democratic spirit shown by the people of J&K. I was assured that statehood would be restored. However, more than nine months have passed, and yet there is no clarity, timeline, or visible progress toward fulfilling that solemn assurance,” the letter read.
Omar said reorganization of J&K into a Union Territory in August 2019 was presented as a temporary and transitional measure.
He said the Prime Minister has made repeated assurances, both within Parliament and in public fora, including direct addresses to the people of Jammu and Kashmir during elections and afterwards that statehood will be restored. He said that even before the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, the Central Government reaffirmed its commitment to restore statehood at the earliest, as soon as possible.
He said that earlier this year, the Prime Minister reiterated this promise during an event in Kashmir, calling it “Modi ka Wada.” However, the interpretation of terms like “at the earliest” or “as soon as possible” cannot stretch into years or decades. ‘’The people of J and K have already waited long enough-statehood must be restored now,” Omar wrote.
The Chief Minister said the Union Government’s repeated assertion that the Union Territory status is “temporary” is, unfortunately beginning to appear more as a “convenient alibi than a genuine commitment”.
“It serves as a proverbial fig leaf for the judicial indulgence extended to what many view as a constitutionally and morally indefensible act. Only the strength of moral conviction can now pave the way for the restoration of Jammu & Kashmir’s statehood,” the Chief Minister said.
“The “temporary” Union Territory status has persisted for six years, far beyond what any reasonable interpretation of the word might allow. An arrangement meant to be transitional cannot be allowed to harden into permanence. In the process, several historic opportunities to reciprocate the goodwill of the people and to further cement their faith in the constitutional order have, regrettably, been allowed to pass by,” he said.
Omar Abdullah said that the Centre missed crucial opportunities to rebuild trust with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, citing their enthusiastic and peaceful participation in last year’s Assembly elections and the Valley-wide condemnation of the Pahalgam terror incident.
“These were extraordinary opportunities to reinforce national unity and heal historical wounds. To allow such moments to pass—unacknowledged or unreciprocated due to narrow partisan calculations, will, without doubt, be a monumental mistake,” he said.
Omar said the precedent set by downgrading a State to a Union Territory will have unsettling consequences for the country and it should be a “constitutional red line- one that must never be crossed.”
“..Federalism is anchored in the recognition of a State’s right to exist and function with dignity, autonomy, and constitutional protection. If the Union were to assume and exercise the unilateral authority to downgrade a State to a Union Territory-regardless of the justification, it would mark a fundamental departure from the constitutional scheme,” Omar said.
Omar highlighted that despite Jammu & Kashmir’s unique historical and geopolitical challenges, it remained a resilient State within the Indian Union.
“.Instead of being further empowered and supported in that journey, it was unprecedently downgraded to a Union Territory. The manner and timing of these changes in August 2019 are well known and remain a subject of widespread discussion and reflection,” he said.
Omar described the current governance setup in Jammu & Kashmir as “structurally imbalanced” and “dysfunctional,”- a Union Territory with a legislature but without genuine authority or autonomy.
He said inviting people to vote while denying the elected government effective authority—due to overriding control by Centre’s representative—undermines democratic self-governance.
“Elections lose their meaning if the government chosen by the people is dis-empowered to deliver on their aspirations,” he said.
“I would reiterate that the restoration of statehood-and with it, the full constitutional and democratic rights of the people—is important not only for J&K but also vital for upholding the federal and democratic character of our Constitution,” Omar said.
The chief minister urged the leaders to press the Centre to introduce legislation in the ongoing Parliament session for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
“Anything less would undermine the very idea of India, and a departure from the vision of our founding fathers who framed a Constitution rooted in federalism, dignity, and democratic self-governance,” he added.
