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The Print
a day ago
- Politics
- The Print
Wrote to parties to push for bill on restoration of JK's statehood in Parliament: Omar Abdullah
'I have written a letter to all those parties who have a good number of MPs in Parliament and requested them to help on the promise made to Jammu and Kashmir on statehood and raise the issue in Parliament so that a bill is brought in this session itself and Jammu and Kashmir gets its statehood back,' Abdullah told reporters here. The Centre abrogated Article 370, which accorded a special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, on August 5, 2019, and divided it into two union territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Srinagar, Aug 6 (PTI) Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said he has written to several parties with a sizeable presence in Parliament, seeking their support for the introduction of a bill for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood in the ongoing Monsoon session. The CM's outreach comes amidst a growing demand for the return of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood. His push is a renewed effort to hold the Centre accountable for its commitment to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. On July 29, Abdullah wrote a letter to the presidents of 42 political parties, including Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, urging them to press the Centre to bring a legislation in the Monsoon session to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, saying it must not be viewed as a concession, but as an essential course correction. He wrote that downgrading a state to a union territory sets a 'profound and unsettling' precedent and is a 'constitutional red line' that 'must never be crossed'. 'The act of reducing Jammu and Kashmir from a state to a union territory in 2019 and the prolonged delay in restoring its status as a full state… has profound implications for the future of Indian polity,' the three-page letter stated. The chief minister said the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir into a union territory in August 2019 was presented as a 'temporary and transitional measure' and cited repeated public assurances from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including a promise made in Kashmir earlier this year that he called 'Modi ka Wada'. Abdullah also cited the stand of the Centre before the Supreme Court reaffirming its commitment to restore statehood at the earliest. However, he said, the 'interpretation of terms like 'at the earliest' or 'as soon as possible' cannot stretch into years or decades'. 'The people of Jammu and Kashmir have already waited long enough — statehood must be restored now.' He called the 'prolonged and unprecedented disempowerment' of the people of Jammu and Kashmir 'unjust' and said it 'undermines the very rationale that was invoked to justify the changes of August 2019'. 'The restoration (of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir) must not be viewed as a concession, but as an essential course correction — one that prevents us from sliding down a dangerous and slippery slope where the statehood of our constituent states is no longer regarded as a foundational and sacred constitutional right but reduced instead to a discretionary favour bestowed at the will of the central government,' the letter said. The chief minister highlighted the 'remarkable and enthusiastic participation' of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in last year's assembly elections and said that they turned up in 'record numbers' and demonstrated an 'unshaken faith in our constitutional processes and democratic institutions'. In a 'respectful acknowledgement' of this, his government's first act was to pass a unanimous resolution calling for the immediate restoration of statehood. Abdullah said he personally handed over this resolution to PM Modi and was 'assured that statehood would be restored'. However, 'more than nine months have passed and yet there is no clarity, timeline, or visible progress toward fulfilling that solemn assurance', he lamented. The chief minister's letter warned that the 'temporary' status is beginning to 'appear more as a convenient alibi than a genuine commitment', serving as a 'proverbial fig leaf' for an 'indefensible act'. He said that the six-year persistence of this status is 'far beyond what any reasonable interpretation of the word might allow' and that an arrangement 'meant to be transitional cannot be allowed to harden into permanence'. Abdullah pointed to two recent events as 'extraordinary opportunities to heal historical wounds and reinforce national unity' — the high voter turnout in the recent elections and the public condemnation of terrorism following the Pahalgam attack. 'To allow such moments to pass — unacknowledged or unreciprocated due to narrow partisan calculations, will, without doubt, be a monumental mistake,' the chief minister cautioned and quoted famous poet Muzaffar Razmi Kairanavi: 'Lamhon ne khata ki thi, sadiyon ne saza payi (Moments committed the mistake, centuries got the punishment)'. PTI SSB SKL DIV DIV This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Wrote to parties to push for bill on restoration of JK's statehood in Parliament: Omar Abdullah
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said he has written to several parties with a sizeable presence in Parliament, seeking their support for the introduction of a bill for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood in the ongoing Monsoon Centre abrogated Article 370, which accorded a special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, on August 5, 2019, and divided it into two union territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh."I have written a letter to all those parties who have a good number of MPs in Parliament and requested them to help on the promise made to Jammu and Kashmir on statehood and raise the issue in Parliament so that a bill is brought in this session itself and Jammu and Kashmir gets its statehood back," Abdullah told reporters CM's outreach comes amidst a growing demand for the return of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood. His push is a renewed effort to hold the Centre accountable for its commitment to the people of Jammu and July 29, Abdullah wrote a letter to the presidents of 42 political parties, including Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, urging them to press the Centre to bring a legislation in the Monsoon session to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, saying it must not be viewed as a concession, but as an essential course wrote that downgrading a state to a union territory sets a "profound and unsettling" precedent and is a "constitutional red line" that "must never be crossed"."The act of reducing Jammu and Kashmir from a state to a union territory in 2019 and the prolonged delay in restoring its status as a full state... has profound implications for the future of Indian polity," the three-page letter chief minister said the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir into a union territory in August 2019 was presented as a "temporary and transitional measure" and cited repeated public assurances from Prime Minister Narendra Modi , including a promise made in Kashmir earlier this year that he called "Modi ka Wada".Abdullah also cited the stand of the Centre before the Supreme Court reaffirming its commitment to restore statehood at the he said, the "interpretation of terms like 'at the earliest' or 'as soon as possible' cannot stretch into years or decades"."The people of Jammu and Kashmir have already waited long enough - statehood must be restored now."He called the "prolonged and unprecedented disempowerment" of the people of Jammu and Kashmir "unjust" and said it "undermines the very rationale that was invoked to justify the changes of August 2019"."The restoration (of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir) must not be viewed as a concession, but as an essential course correction - one that prevents us from sliding down a dangerous and slippery slope where the statehood of our constituent states is no longer regarded as a foundational and sacred constitutional right but reduced instead to a discretionary favour bestowed at the will of the central government," the letter chief minister highlighted the "remarkable and enthusiastic participation" of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in last year's assembly elections and said that they turned up in "record numbers" and demonstrated an "unshaken faith in our constitutional processes and democratic institutions".In a "respectful acknowledgement" of this, his government's first act was to pass a unanimous resolution calling for the immediate restoration of said he personally handed over this resolution to PM Modi and was "assured that statehood would be restored".However, "more than nine months have passed and yet there is no clarity, timeline, or visible progress toward fulfilling that solemn assurance", he chief minister's letter warned that the "temporary" status is beginning to "appear more as a convenient alibi than a genuine commitment", serving as a "proverbial fig leaf" for an "indefensible act".He said that the six-year persistence of this status is "far beyond what any reasonable interpretation of the word might allow" and that an arrangement "meant to be transitional cannot be allowed to harden into permanence".Abdullah pointed to two recent events as "extraordinary opportunities to heal historical wounds and reinforce national unity" -- the high voter turnout in the recent elections and the public condemnation of terrorism following the Pahalgam attack."To allow such moments to pass -- unacknowledged or unreciprocated due to narrow partisan calculations, will, without doubt, be a monumental mistake," the chief minister cautioned and quoted famous poet Muzaffar Razmi Kairanavi: "Lamhon ne khata ki thi, sadiyon ne saza payi (Moments committed the mistake, centuries got the punishment)".
Mint
a day ago
- Politics
- Mint
Omar Abdullah writes to party chiefs for restoration of JK statehood – ‘essential course correction'
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has written to the presidents of 42 political parties, including Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, urging them to press the Centre to bring legislation in the ongoing Parliament session to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Officials said on Tuesday that the National Conference leader has said that restoring statehood must not be viewed as a concession but as an essential course correction. Abdullah termed it as an issue that goes beyond regional interests and touches the very core of the country's Constitutional values and democratic ethos, officials were quoted by the news agency PTI Abdullah said that downgrading a state to a Union Territory sets a "profound and unsettling" precedent and is a "constitutional red line" that "must never be crossed". "The act of reducing Jammu and Kashmir from a state to a Union territory in 2019 and the prolonged delay in restoring its status as a full state... has profound implications for the future of Indian polity," the three-page letter written on July 29 said. On Monday, Abdullah said he is optimistic about 'something positive' for the Union Territory during the ongoing parliament session, but not on Tuesday, amid buzz over the centre planning something on Jammu and Kashmir's 'statehood'. Abdullah's remarks came on the eve of August 5, the sixth anniversary of Article 370's abrogation. Abdullah clarified that he had no meeting or conversation with the people in Delhi and that his statement was based on his "gut feeling." The speculation about 'something' happening on August 5 was fuelled by the government's reported meetings on Monday. Though there was no official word on any meetings, some reports suggested Union Home Minister Amit Shah met with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Intelligence Bureau chief Tapan Kumar Deka, and Home Secretary Govind Mohan on Monday. In the letter, the chief minister said the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory in August 2019 was presented as a "temporary and transitional measure" and cited repeated public assurances from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including a promise made in Kashmir earlier this year that he called "Modi ka Wada." Abdullah also cited the Centre's stand before the Supreme Court, reaffirming its commitment to restore statehood as soon as possible. He argued that the "interpretation of terms like 'at the earliest' or 'as soon as possible' cannot stretch into years or decades. The erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised into the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh following the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. Tuesday was the sixth anniversary of the decision. Incidentally, the Parliament's Monsoon session is also on. The people of Jammu and Kashmir have already waited long enough—statehood must be restored now, Abdullah said. According to the letter, Abdullah argued that the moral premise behind the removal of Article 370 was based on the "argument of equality," but that this principle has not been applied equally. "The denial of statehood is not something that has been imposed on any other region in India; in fact, the historical trajectory has always been from Union Territory to State, not the reverse," the letter said. Abdullah urged the political parties to press the Centre to bringin legislation in the current session of Parliament to restore the statehood in Jammu and Kashmir. "The restoration must not be viewed as a concession, but as an essential course correction —one that prevents us from sliding down a dangerous and slippery slope where the statehood of our constituent states is no longer regarded as a foundational and sacred constitutional right but reduced instead to a discretionary favour bestowed at the will of the Central Government," the letter said. The chief minister said anything less would undermine the very idea of India and a departure from the vision of the founding fathers who framed a Constitution rooted in federalism, dignity and democratic self-governance. The chief minister's letter warned that the "temporary" status is beginning to "appear more as a convenient alibi than a genuine commitment," serving as a "proverbial fig leaf" for an "indefensible act". Abdullah said that the six-year persistence of this status is "far beyond what any reasonable interpretation of the word might allow" and that an arrangement "meant to be transitional cannot be allowed to harden into permanence". Abdullah pointed to two recent events as "extraordinary opportunities to heal historical wounds and reinforce national unity": the high voter turnout in the recent elections and the public condemnation of terror following an incident at Pahalgam. The restoration must not be viewed as a concession, but as an essential course correction.
Mint
2 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Omar Abdullah writes to party chiefs for restoration of JK statehood – ‘essential course correction'
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has written to the presidents of 42 political parties, including Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, urging them to press the Centre to bring legislation in the ongoing Parliament session to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Officials said on Tuesday that the National Conference leader has said that restoring statehood must not be viewed as a concession but as an essential course correction. Abdullah termed it as an issue that goes beyond regional interests and touches the very core of the country's Constitutional values and democratic ethos, officials were quoted by the news agency PTI Abdullah said that downgrading a state to a Union Territory sets a "profound and unsettling" precedent and is a "constitutional red line" that "must never be crossed". "The act of reducing Jammu and Kashmir from a state to a Union territory in 2019 and the prolonged delay in restoring its status as a full state... has profound implications for the future of Indian polity," the three-page letter written on July 29 said. On Monday, Abdullah said he is optimistic about 'something positive' for the Union Territory during the ongoing parliament session, but not on Tuesday, amid buzz over the centre planning something on Jammu and Kashmir's 'statehood'. Abdullah's remarks came on the eve of August 5, the sixth anniversary of Article 370's abrogation. Abdullah clarified that he had no meeting or conversation with the people in Delhi and that his statement was based on his "gut feeling." The speculation about 'something' happening on August 5 was fuelled by the government's reported meetings on Monday. Though there was no official word on any meetings, some reports suggested Union Home Minister Amit Shah met with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Intelligence Bureau chief Tapan Kumar Deka, and Home Secretary Govind Mohan on Monday. In the letter, the chief minister said the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory in August 2019 was presented as a "temporary and transitional measure" and cited repeated public assurances from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including a promise made in Kashmir earlier this year that he called "Modi ka Wada." Abdullah also cited the Centre's stand before the Supreme Court, reaffirming its commitment to restore statehood as soon as possible. He argued that the "interpretation of terms like 'at the earliest' or 'as soon as possible' cannot stretch into years or decades. The erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised into the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh following the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. Tuesday was the sixth anniversary of the decision. Incidentally, the Parliament's Monsoon session is also on. The people of Jammu and Kashmir have already waited long enough—statehood must be restored now, Abdullah said. According to the letter, Abdullah argued that the moral premise behind the removal of Article 370 was based on the "argument of equality," but that this principle has not been applied equally. "The denial of statehood is not something that has been imposed on any other region in India; in fact, the historical trajectory has always been from Union Territory to State, not the reverse," the letter said. Abdullah urged the political parties to press the Centre to bringin legislation in the current session of Parliament to restore the statehood in Jammu and Kashmir. "The restoration must not be viewed as a concession, but as an essential course correction —one that prevents us from sliding down a dangerous and slippery slope where the statehood of our constituent states is no longer regarded as a foundational and sacred constitutional right but reduced instead to a discretionary favour bestowed at the will of the Central Government," the letter said. The chief minister said anything less would undermine the very idea of India and a departure from the vision of the founding fathers who framed a Constitution rooted in federalism, dignity and democratic self-governance. The chief minister's letter warned that the "temporary" status is beginning to "appear more as a convenient alibi than a genuine commitment," serving as a "proverbial fig leaf" for an "indefensible act". Abdullah said that the six-year persistence of this status is "far beyond what any reasonable interpretation of the word might allow" and that an arrangement "meant to be transitional cannot be allowed to harden into permanence". Abdullah pointed to two recent events as "extraordinary opportunities to heal historical wounds and reinforce national unity": the high voter turnout in the recent elections and the public condemnation of terror following an incident at Pahalgam. The restoration must not be viewed as a concession, but as an essential course correction. "To allow such moments to pass – unacknowledged or unreciprocated due to narrow partisan calculations, will, without doubt, be a monumental mistake," the chief minister cautioned and quoted famous poet Muzaffar Razmi Kairanavi: "Lamhon ne khata ki thi, sadiyon ne saza payi (Moments committed the mistake, centuries got the punishment)".
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Statehood must be restored': Omar Abdullah writes to 42 parties; says people of J&K have waited long enough
J&K CM Omar Abdullah (PTI image) NEW DLEHI: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah has written to the presidents of 42 political parties, including Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge , requesting them to press the centre to introduce legislation during the ongoing Parliament session to restore statehood to J&K. In his letter dated July 29, Abdullah stressed that this issue goes beyond regional politics and touches the core values of the Indian Constitution and democracy. He warned that downgrading a state to a Union Territory sets a 'profound and unsettling' precedent and crosses a constitutional boundary that should never have been breached. "The act of reducing Jammu and Kashmir from a state to a Union territory in 2019 and the prolonged delay in restoring its status as a full state... has profound implications for the future of Indian polity," the three-page letter read. He noted that the reorganisation of state in August 2019 into a Union Territory was described as a 'temporary and transitional' measure. He reminded leaders of Prime Minister Narendra Modi 's repeated assurances, including a promise made in Kashmir earlier this year, which he referred to as 'Modi ka Wada' and also mentioned the Centre's commitment before the Supreme Court to restore statehood. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo However, he criticised the delay, arguing that terms like 'at the earliest' or 'as soon as possible' cannot be stretched indefinitely. "The people of Jammu and Kashmir have already waited long enough—statehood must be restored now."' the letter stated. Abdullah also challenged the rationale behind the removal of Article 370 , which he said was justified in the name of equality. However, this principle has not been applied equally. "The denial of statehood is not something that has been imposed on any other region in India; in fact, the historical trajectory has always been from Union Territory to State, not the reverse," the letter said. He called the "prolonged and unprecedented disempowerment" of the people of Jammu and Kashmir "unjust" and said it "undermines the very rationale that was invoked to justify the changes of August 2019." "The restoration must not be viewed as a concession, but as an essential course correction —one that prevents us from sliding down a dangerous and slippery slope where the statehood of our constituent states is no longer regarded as a foundational and sacred constitutional right but reduced instead to a discretionary favour bestowed at the will of the Central Government," he said. Abdullah also pointed to the strong voter turnout during the last assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, calling it proof of people's continued faith in democracy. In response, his government's first action was to pass a unanimous resolution calling for immediate restoration of statehood. He said he had handed over this resolution personally to the PM Modi and and was "assured that statehood would be restored." However, he was disappointed that "more than nine months have passed, and yet there is no clarity, timeline, or visible progress toward fulfilling that solemn assurance". The chief minister also referred to two recent developments, the high voter turnout in the recent elections and the public condemnation of terrorism after the deadly attack in Pahalgam, as important chances to heal old wounds and strengthen national unity. He warned that ignoring these moments would be a serious mistake. Abdullah's letter also acknowledged that J&K has faced extraordinary challenges due to the historical and geopolitical circumstances. Despite this, he said the region functioned effectively as a part of the Indian Union and instead of being strengthened, it was unfairly being downgraded to a UT. He criticised the current administrative setup as imbalanced and ineffective, a Union Territory with a legislature, but without real power. He said that officials from the Centre can overrule the decisions of the elected government, which weakens democracy. He added that the elections lose meaning if the government chosen by the people is not allowed to function. "I would reiterate that the restoration of statehood - and with it, the full constitutional and democratic rights of the people - is important not only for J-K but also vital for upholding the federal and democratic character of our Constitution," he said.
