First poll promise kept by CM remains shrouded in secrecy

Srinagar, Oct 18: The first poll promise (passing of cabinet resolution on statehood restoration) kept by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has remained shrouded in secrecy because of the total silence maintained over it at government and political (National Conference) levels.

The important development generated a debate in the political circles. The opposition parties in Kashmir are asking why a resolution, opposing the August 5, 2019 decisions, was not also passed by the cabinet.

During assembly elections, Omar Abdullah had promised that in the very first cabinet meeting of the National Conference government, a resolution for restoration of statehood would be passed and then the resolution would be forwarded to the centre with a recommendation that the statehood be restored without any further delay.

Reports said last evening when the cabinet met for the first time here the resolution was passed. Now the chief minister will seek an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the coming days and hand him over the resolution.

After the cabinet meeting last evening neither any official press release was issued as has been the practice in the past nor any statement was released by the National Conference (NC) in this direction. Even the NC party and its leaders did not mention anything about it on their social media accounts. So complete secrecy and silence were maintained. The government and NC leaders better know why this secrecy was maintained on such an important issue. This was the first election promise kept by the chief minister and why it was not highlighted the way it should have been.

NC in its election manifesto has promised that the "Jammu and Kashmir assembly, in its first list of business after elections, will pass a resolution against the centre's decision to strip the region of its statehood and special status.”  There is still some time left for the first assembly session of this government, so the fate of the promise of passing the resolution will be known at that time.

But right now the opposition parties have geared up to criticise the NC government for passing the resolution only on statehood restoration in cabinet and not against bifurcating of erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories and abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A. This indicates that despite the massive victory of NC in assembly elections, the opposition parties have made up their mind to take the new government head-on from day one.

The demand for the restoration of statehood is being made by almost all regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir. Congress, the pre-poll alliance partner of NC, fought the assembly polls on this issue. The BJP's stance is that Omar Abdullah, NC and their government should not keep on harping on the demand for statehood restoration. BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh today reiterated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have long back announced that the statehood will be restored at an appropriate time. He described the passing of the resolution by the cabinet yesterday as an "eyewash and playing to the galleries by the Omar Abdullah government."

People's Conference (PC) President and MLA Handwara Sajad Gani Lone hit out at the NC government for passing a resolution on statehood but not on the decisions of August 5, 2019. He wondered why should a resolution on statehood passed by the cabinet be shrouded in mystery and secrecy. "And I very humbly state that the will of the people of J&K is reflected in the assembly and not in the cabinet. The cabinet is a majoritarian institution of governance. It does not reflect all shades and opinions as per the will of the people of J and K. All across the country, to the best of my knowledge, assembly is the proper institution for addressing major issues like that of statehood or Article 370," Lone posted on X.

He added that when the NC Government passed a resolution on autonomy they passed it in the assembly, not through a cabinet resolution. "What has changed now? Fail to understand why this resolution should not have been reserved for assembly. Why are we so keen to trivialise everything? Would have loved to see which way BJP and other parties vote on statehood and on Article 370 resolution when it is presented in the Assembly," he said.

PDP leader and MLA Pulwama Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra wrote on X, "Omar Abdullah's first resolution on statehood is nothing less than ratification of the August 5th, 2019 decision. No resolution on Article 370 and scaling down the demand to mere statehood is a huge setback, especially after seeking votes on the promise of restoring Article 370."

Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) President and MP Er Rashid said that passing of a resolution on statehood by the cabinet is contrary to what NC has been claiming and won the elections also. He said that the NC has promised a fight for restoration of Article 370 "but its government is deviating from the main issues by stressing on statehood restoration only."