Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday sharpened his attack on the Centre over the continued delay in restoring statehood to the Union Territory, asking whether his party should “go to America and protest before (US President Donald) Trump” if its demands could not be addressed in India’s own capital. The remark came as Abdullah announced that the National Conference would launch a fresh phase of its statehood campaign with a major protest in New Delhi on 20 July, declaring that the party had waited long enough for the Centre to fulfil its promise.
Addressing a large public gathering at Maharaja Hari Singh Park in Jammu, a traditional Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stronghold, Abdullah accused the Centre of repeatedly delaying its commitment and said the party had exhausted quieter methods of engagement.
“We have given the Central government enough time. For almost two years, we pursued one approach … Now we will adopt a new strategy. That new phase will begin on July 20, when we will gather in Delhi and raise our voice for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood,” he said.
‘Should we go to America and protest before Trump?’
Explaining why the protest would be held in the national capital, Abdullah questioned the repeated assurances that Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood would be restored at an “appropriate time”.
“Every time we ask when Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood will be restored, we get the same vague reply: ‘It will happen at an appropriate time’. But no one explains what that means or when that time will come. Are they waiting until the BJP forms the government here? If that is their position, they should say so openly,” he said.
He defended the decision to demonstrate in Delhi, arguing that the issue must be addressed where the decisions are made.
“If decisions concerning a part of our own country cannot be taken in our own national capital, where are they supposed to be taken?”
In one of the rally’s sharpest remarks, Abdullah criticised those questioning the venue for the protest.
“So what do they expect us to do? Should we go to America and protest before (US President Donald) Trump or outside the White House to seek Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood? We are only asking for a promise made in our own country to be honoured in our own country’s capital,” he said.
‘Enough is enough’: Omar Abdullah signals change in strategy
The rally, Abdullah’s first major public address in Jammu city in several years, came a day after the National Conference held a workers’ convention in Srinagar to commemorate the 26th death anniversary of Akbar Jehan, the party leader’s grandmother.
The event featured banners reading “Delhi Chalo! We Want Our Statehood”, while supporters carried placards bearing the slogans “Hamari Riyasat, Hamari Shaan” and “Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq.”
Declaring that the party’s patience had run out, Abdullah said its restraint had been wrongly interpreted.
“Enough is enough! There will be no more waiting!”
“Our decency is being taken for granted. Our silence is being mistaken for weakness, and our patience is being tested beyond its limits.
“After enduring every taunt hurled at us by the BJP, facing constant accusations, and confronting every conspiracy against our party, we have reached the conclusion that the time has come to take to the streets,” he said.
‘Statehood is our right, not a favour’
Abdullah maintained that restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood was a constitutional commitment rather than a political concession.
“Statehood is not a favour to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, but their right,” he said.
He argued that every political party, including the BJP, had sought votes in the 2024 Assembly election while promising the restoration of statehood.
“This is not just the National Conference’s issue; it concerns every party that contested the 2024 assembly election. Show me a single BJP MLA who told voters that the party would oppose statehood. They sought votes promising restoration.”
Referring to the sequence previously outlined by the Centre, Abdullah said the government had committed to completing delimitation, conducting Assembly elections and then restoring statehood.
“We believe the delimitation exercise unfairly favoured the BJP, yet we accepted it and contested the election. Despite attempts to divide political parties and influence the electoral outcome, the people delivered their verdict. The government must now honour its commitment,” he said.
He also recalled the Supreme Court’s observation that statehood should be restored “as soon as possible” following the elections.
Omar Abdullah invokes PM Modi’s promise
Abdullah accused the Centre of treating statehood as a political bargaining tool instead of fulfilling an assurance made to the people.
“If it is Modi’s promise made on the soil of Katra, then it should be honoured,” he said, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment during the 2024 Assembly election campaign.
He also questioned why the people of Jammu and Kashmir continued to be denied full statehood despite their contributions to the country.
“The people of Jammu stood with the nation whenever the country faced challenges. Border districts bore the brunt of shelling, and Jammu opened its doors to those displaced by militancy. What crime have the people committed that they continue to be denied statehood?” Abdullah said.
Invoking Mahatma Gandhi, he said Jammu and Kashmir had long represented communal harmony and asked whether the region was being penalised for preserving unity.
“We will continue knocking on the doors of our own nation’s capital. We will continue reminding the country’s leadership of the promises made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. We only ask that those promises be honoured,” he said.
“We were forced to come on the roads after the talks failed. The July 20 protest will be the start of our agitation in support of the demand,” Abdullah added.
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