Congress campaign for statehood: Differences surface between NC and Congress

Are the ruling National Conference (NC) and its ally, Congress, having any differences over the manner in which the latter is running its campaign for statehood restoration? The answer is in affirmative if one goes by the questions asked by media persons to chief minister Omar Abdullah in Ganderbal on July 22, and his reply. There are differences. The media persons drew the attention of chief minister towards the allegation of some Congress leaders that NC is not supporting their campaign or protests in support of their demand for restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. They wanted his reaction. Omar replied that Congress neither informed NC about the protests nor sought any support. He said it was first his party and the elected government who raised the statehood issue and now after so much time if Congress remembers statehood, it should have informed the ruling party and sought the support.

The differences between the two parties surfaced at a time when attention of political circles is on New Delhi because of the ongoing parliament session and sudden resignation of the vice president Jagdeep Dhankar citing health issues.

The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee ( JKPCC) is currently busy with its campaign in support of its demand for restoration of the statehood. The campaign was launched some time back. The party has already held various programmes in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir for this purpose. Its protests were foiled in Srinagar and Jammu. The party held a protest in New Delhi also on July 22.

Chief minister said that the Congress did not mention anything about protest programme during a recent meeting of I.N.D.I.A bloc. “ They should have informed us. They must inform us so that our party leaders and workers also take part,” he told the media.

Omar said it was first the NC which started the campaign for statehood restoration.” In the very first cabinet meeting we passed a resolution for statehood restoration. Then in assembly we passed a similar resolution, though no discussion could be held there on the issue,” he said.

In Jammu and Kashmir, Congress supports the NC government from outside and says that it will join the government only after statehood is restored. Chief Minister has a number of times stated that a berth has been kept reserved for Congress in the present council of ministry and that it is upto the Congress to take a call. Congress has showed disinterest in joining the government and decided to wait for the statehood restoration.

Recently two senior national level Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, leader of opposition in Lok Sabha and Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha wrote a joint letter to prime minister Narendra Modi on the statehood issue. They urged the prime minister to restore the statehood at the earliest and bring a legislation in the ongoing parliament session in this connection. NC leaders Dr Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah hailed the letter of the two senior Congress leaders and hoped that the statehood is restored without any further delay.

Interestingly , during the 2024 assembly polls, the Congress had promised to rigorously fight for statehood. The issue was made by the party as its main election plank. Addressing several poll rallies Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge had promised that Congress will not lose any time for making efforts for statehood. They had even made a promise to mount pressure on the central government in the parliament for this purpose. However, eight months after the formation of an elected government in Jammu and Kashmir, Rahul and Kharge finally wrote a letter to prime minister urging him to bring a legislation in the current session in parliament for statehood.

There are no indications yet whether the central government will bring a legislation as demanded by Congress. The stance of the union government continues to be the same that the statehood would be restored at an “appropriate time.” However, the wait for the “ appropriate time” continues.

Sat Sharma, J&K BJP President recently said that the central government headed by prime minister Narendra Modi is committed to statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. He said the statehood is bound to occur and there should be  no doubt about it in anybody’s mind. Sharma accused the Congress of trying to mislead the people on statehood issue. Congress has been blaming the BJP for delaying the statehood just to continue the central government rule through union territory.

NC has been strongly advocating the statehood but is not in favour of any kind of unnecessary confrontation with the centre on the issue. Reports say that the chief minister has been raising the issue with his meetings with the central government leaders. Dr Farooq Abdullah had recently stated that his party would move Supreme Court if the statehood is not restored to J&K. However, he did not reveal when exactly his party is going to do so.

The author is Senior Editor Greater Kashmir