Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed strong disappointment over the continued delay in the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, saying the issue has caused growing anger and frustration among people and has cost him a “huge amount of political capital.”
In an interview, Abdullah said he had placed considerable political credibility at stake by adopting a constructive approach towards the Union Government in the expectation that statehood would be restored. “I put a huge amount of my own political credibility at stake for this. I know for a fact that I’ve eroded a large part of it,” Abdullah said. The Chief Minister said he would continue to face the political consequences despite believing that the delay was beyond his control.
“I will pay the price for sins that are not mine, and again, I will carry that cross because it’s mine to bear,” he said. ‘Statehood Timeline Has Become a Moving Target’, Abdullah criticised the Centre for repeatedly stating that statehood would be restored at an “appropriate time”, saying the absence of a definite timeline had created uncertainty. Drawing an analogy with a marathon, he said that whenever the government appears to be nearing the finishing line, the target seems to move further away.
He urged the Union Government to establish clear and measurable parameters for restoration of statehood so that the elected government knows exactly what needs to be achieved. Abdullah also rejected any attempt to link restoration of statehood with the complete elimination of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. He argued that the elected government does not control the security apparatus or the anti-terror operations in the Union Territory and therefore should not be held responsible for matters outside its jurisdiction.
According to Abdullah, making the eradication of terrorism a precondition for statehood could effectively leave the decision dependent on factors beyond the control of the elected government. The Chief Minister strongly criticised the existing arrangement of a Union Territory with a Legislative Assembly, describing it as an unsuitable governance structure. He pointed out that several important institutions and administrative matters remain outside the effective control of the elected government and under the authority of the Lieutenant Governor.
He also said the Cabinet does not have complete authority to choose its administrative secretaries or appoint an Advocate General, which, he argued, demonstrates the restrictions imposed by the present constitutional arrangement. Responding to criticism that his government had diluted its position on Article 370, Abdullah said restoration of statehood was an important prerequisite for addressing the constitutional distribution of powers between the Union and the State. Abdullah also invoked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to restore statehood, recalling assurances made during the Prime Minister’s visits to Jammu and Kashmir.