CM Omar calms speculation storm

Srinagar, Aug 4: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday put various speculations about the return of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir or otherwise to rest.

In J&K, several speculations were ripe about the possible return of statehood, with some suggesting that the Centre was thinking of returning statehood only to the Jammu region while permanently keeping Kashmir as a Union Territory with others stating that some part of Kashmir would be carved out and kept in Jammu state on the pattern of earlier carried out delimitation exercise.

Yet others hinted at a “hybrid model”, suggesting that the Centre might finally return the statehood to the entire Jammu and Kashmir but keep law and order and security in its domain.

However, CM Omar put all these speculations to rest with his post on microblogging site ‘X’ saying, “I’ve heard every possible permutation and combination about what to expect in J&K tomorrow, so let me stick my neck out and say nothing will happen tomorrow – fortunately nothing bad will happen but unfortunately nothing positive will happen either. I’m still optimistic about something positive for J&K in this monsoon session of Parliament, but not tomorrow. And no, I haven’t had any meetings or conversations with people in Delhi. This is just a gut feeling. Let’s see this time tomorrow.”

The speculations had been floating following the meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah with President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday, just two days ahead of August 5, which completes six years of downgrading of Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory.

On August 5, 2019, the Centre had abrogated Article 370 and Article 35-A of the Indian constitution and downgraded the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state into two centrally-administered union territories of J&K and Ladakh.

The rumour mills in J&K were in rife on Monday as the top security brass met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to discuss the security situation.

The sources said that the National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, and Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) Tapan Deka met Shah in his chamber at the Parliament House complex on Monday.

Although the details of the meeting were not revealed, this started several speculations in Jammu.

The sixth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 and downgrading of J&K into two UTs comes amidst a growing chorus for the restoration of statehood to J&K.

Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Shah had promised that the statehood would be restored once the situation in J&K becomes normal, without giving a timeline.

On July 20, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah made a forceful plea for the restoration of statehood to J&K without further delay, and indicated that all avenues, including legal options, were being explored by the ruling National Conference (NC) in this regard.

Nearly 10 months after the NC swept to power in J&K, CMM Omar asserted that statehood was a fundamental right of the people.

“The Centre had promised it in Parliament and before the Supreme Court,” he said.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had jointly written to Prime Minister Modi, urging the BJP-led central government to bring legislation in the Monsoon Session of Parliament to grant full statehood to J&K.

On Monday, CPI leader D Raja also made a similar demand in a letter to PM Modi.