Srinagar, Sep 29 : Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday called on the Government of India to swiftly restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, stating the people’s patience “should not be tested any longer.”
Addressing reporters in Ganderbal, Omar said that statehood is a “fundamental right” and a promised next step following the completion of delimitation and assembly elections.
He framed the restoration as a crucial measure to maintain stability, cautioning against allowing the situation to deteriorate. “The situation here can change in a jiffy, but we do not want it to reach the level we are witnessing in Ladakh,” Omar said.
Using Ladakh’s experience as a cautionary tale, the Chief Minister said that a change in constitutional status does not automatically improve lives. “The people of Ladakh had demanded Union Territory status, yet it did not improve their lives. We do not want innocents to suffer here,” he added.
Omar said that his party would pursue the issue through “peaceful means,” describing the demand as “just and lawful.”(KNS)
