Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday reiterated his commitment to fulfilling key promises, particularly the restoration of statehood, a promise made by the central government. Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Abdullah reflected on the two months since his government took office, acknowledging the challenges of adapting to the new Union Territory status but expressing optimism about the progress made so far.
“It’s been two months since we assumed power, and while it took some time to adjust to the new system in Jammu and Kashmir as a Union Territory, our start has been promising,” said Abdullah. He emphasized that the change in status from a state to a Union Territory posed significant challenges, but his administration is focusing on implementing election promises and driving systemic changes where necessary.
Abdullah reiterated his belief that the region’s Union Territory status should be temporary and called for the restoration of statehood as soon as possible
He added, “The central government made a major promise to the people to restore statehood, and we hope they fulfill it soon.”
In a pointed remark aimed at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Abdullah questioned the BJP’s claim that the Kashmir issue had been resolved, pointing out that Pakistan still controls part of Jammu and Kashmir. He raised concerns about the BJP’s stance on the Kashmir dispute, asking, “If the BJP claims to have resolved the issue, do they believe they have also resolved the situation on the other side of the border?”
Clearly, it isn’t. The Kashmir issue remains, both here and there, and that’s something we need to address.”
The Chief Minister also acknowledged his past shortcomings in maintaining regular media interactions, emphasizing that he would engage in freewheeling conversations twice a year, without an agenda, to ensure transparency and open communication with the public.
