Agencies | New Delhi:
Declaring that the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood is only the first step in the National Conference’s political campaign, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said the party’s struggle would eventually extend to the restoration of the region’s special constitutional status, accusing the Centre of forcing his party to protest in the national capital.
“First statehood and then the restoration of special status,” Abdullah declared, making it the central political message of the National Conference’s protest in Delhi.
The demonstration, led by Omar Abdullah and National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah, was organised to press the Centre to fulfil its repeated assurances to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, nearly two years after the Assembly elections.
Earlier in the day, Omar Abdullah briefly travelled to Jammu to assess the situation following flash floods before returning to Delhi to join the protest. He travelled to Jantar Mantar in an auto-rickshaw along with other National Conference leaders.
The protest began at Jantar Mantar but ran into trouble after permission for the gathering was denied. NC leaders later attempted to move towards the Constitution Club, where Omar Abdullah alleged police used tear gas to disperse party leaders and workers.
‘Forced to protest in Delhi’
Addressing reporters, the Chief Minister said the National Conference had exhausted all constitutional and political avenues before taking its protest to the national capital.
“We were forced to protest in Delhi for statehood by the Centre. For the past two years, we have been continuously reminding the Centre of the promises it made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and before the Supreme Court,” he said.
Abdullah said the party’s agenda had remained unchanged since the first sitting of the elected Assembly.
“On the very first day, we passed a special resolution in the Assembly demanding statehood and the restoration of the special position, special status and constitutional rights promised to us. We will not abandon that agenda.”
Describing Monday’s demonstration as the beginning of a sustained political campaign, he added:
“We have staged this protest to remind the Centre of its promises. Everything will start from here. First statehood and then the restoration of special status.”
‘Democracy is being strangled’
Omar Abdullah accused the authorities of denying the National Conference the right to hold a peaceful demonstration in the national capital.
“We have come to the capital of our country to demand what is rightfully ours. Unfortunately, even here we are not being allowed to hold a peaceful protest. Democracy is being strangled.”
He said around 50 to 100 party leaders and workers had travelled from Jammu and Kashmir hoping to stage a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar.
Referring to the Centre’s assurances, Abdullah said the Union Government had repeatedly promised in Parliament and before the Supreme Court that statehood would be restored after elections.
“The Supreme Court’s direction was ‘as soon as possible, at the earliest’. That means Jammu and Kashmir should be granted statehood again without delay.”
Questioning the government’s repeated references to restoring statehood at an “appropriate time”, Abdullah said:
“If the Government does not intend to comply with the Supreme Court’s direction, then it should say so openly—that it has no intention of restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood. After that, we will decide our future course of action.”
“But instead, we are repeatedly told that it will happen at the ‘appropriate time’. No one explains what this ‘appropriate time’ actually means.”
Explaining why the protest was shifted to Delhi, Abdullah said the party wanted to remind the country of commitments made to Jammu and Kashmir.
“We are people living in a far-flung corner of this country, and the rest of the nation often pays little attention to us. So we came here to remind the Central Government of the promises it made.”
Describing the confrontation with police, he said:
“We were trying to go to the Constitution Club because we thought that if not at Jantar Mantar, then at least there we would be able to present our views. But here too, along with others, we were targeted with tear gas. It is deeply unfortunate.”
Farooq Abdullah reminds Centre of its promise
National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah said the protest was aimed at reminding the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister of commitments made in Parliament, before the Supreme Court and to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“We are fighting for the full restoration of statehood. It is a promise made by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister—in Parliament, before the Supreme Court and to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. We are here today to remind them: please restore our complete statehood.”
Deputy CM questions delay
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary said the delay in restoring statehood had compelled the party to protest in Delhi.
“It is the misfortune of the people of Jammu and Kashmir that today we have had to come to Delhi to remind the Prime Minister and the Home Minister of the promise they made—that statehood would be restored after the elections.”
He said nearly two years had passed since the Assembly elections, yet the Centre had failed to honour its commitment.
Questioning the repeated assurances that statehood would be restored at an “appropriate time”, Choudhary asked:
“When will that appropriate time come?”
Other leaders join protest
National Conference MP Sajjad Kichloo said the presence of elected representatives on the streets of Delhi reflected the growing frustration among the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“The elected government and the representatives chosen by the people are out on the streets of Delhi today. This itself shows how upset the people of Jammu and Kashmir truly are.”
He said every MLA and leader participating in the protest was representing the aspirations of the people rather than personal interests.
The National Conference maintained that the agitation for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood would continue until the Centre fulfils its commitment, with the party now signalling that the demand for the restoration of special constitutional status will form the next phase of its political campaign.
