Omar presses Centre on J&K statehood as Delhi signals decision ‘soon’

JAMMU: J&K CM Omar Abdullah voiced a mix of hope and scepticism Tuesday after Union law minister Arjun Meghwal said a decision on restoring statehood to the Union territory would be announced “soon”, citing an assurance by home minister Amit Shah in Parliament.

“One-and-a-half years have passed since an elected govt assumed office and we are still waiting,” Omar told reporters. “We hope we will not have to wait much longer.”

Speaking after a function at Srinagar’s Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre, Meghwal described statehood as “an important” and “very sensitive” question. “When the Union home minister has said in Parliament that you will get this right, then you will get it,” he said, adding that a process was underway.

Omar said patience was wearing thin. “We will not be satisfied till we get it. The process is underway but it is taking far too long,” he said, adding that his govt remained in continuous engagement with Centre.

The push comes nearly six years after Centre abrogated Article 370 on Aug 5, 2019, and split the former state into two UTs — J&K and Ladakh. On Dec 11, 2023, Supreme Court upheld the move while urging that J&K’s statehood be restored “as soon as possible”.

Omar, who took office on Oct 16, 2024, has repeatedly raised the issue. On Aug 16 last year, he wrote to BJP and other parties, while urging Parliament to bring a bill to restore statehood.

“The restoration must not be viewed as a concession,” his letter said, cautioning against a precedent where statehood becomes “a discretionary favour”. He said the delay carries implications for the country’s constitutional values and democratic ethos, citing the reduction of J&K’s status in 2019 and the prolonged wait for reversal.
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