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Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Terrorists have won if act of terror allowed to dictate constitutional debate': Valley leaders react to SC observation on J-K statehood
The Supreme Court's observation during the hearing of a petition for the return of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir that ground realities, like what happened in Pahalgam, could not be ignored has drawn a sharp political reactions from the Valley. 'SC's reference to (the) recent Pahalgam terror attack in the context of granting statehood to Jammu and Kashmir underscores a deeper issue about GoI's continued lack of confidence in the region's stability. Even after revoking J&K's special status & reducing it to a Union Territory, the Centre appears unwilling to ease its tight control. This reflects a deeper political and psychological deadlock,' former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said. 'PDP maintains that the Jammu and Kashmir issue goes far beyond questions of statehood or constitutional status. Unless New Delhi engages with the political aspirations of the people and addresses the core issue head-on it will remain on uncertain footing regardless of the force it deploys. It is time GoI corrects past missteps & initiates a sincere process of dialogue and reconciliation to bring lasting peace and dignity to the region,' she said. PDP leader and Pulwama legislator Waheed Para said there is no legal or empirical basis to claim that keeping J&K a Union Territory would defeat terrorism. 'If a terror act is allowed to dictate India's highest constitutional debate, the terrorists have already won. Why should the people of J&K—law-abiding citizens who have upheld the Constitution—be denied equality with every other Indian because of a neighbouring state's actions? Constitutional rights cannot be contingent on Pakistan's conduct,' he said, adding, 'Denying statehood on that basis outsources Indian sovereignty to those who seek to undermine it. There is no legal or empirical basis to claim that keeping J&K a Union Territory will defeat terrorism; what it will erode is the federal structure, the principle of equal treatment, and the very core of representative democracy.' The Supreme Court on Thursday told applicants seeking statehood for Jammu and Kashmir that the ground realities, including what happened in Pahalgam, cannot be ignored. 'You also have to take into consideration ground realities…You can't ignore what has happened in Pahalgam,' Chief Justice B R Gavai said, referring to the April 22 terror attack in which 25 tourists and a local pony rider were killed. Justice K Vinod Chandran of the bench observed that they 'do not have the expertise' and the decision of statehood is 'for the executive and Parliament to decide.' National Conference chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq termed the apex court observation 'very disappointing'. 'This observation is very unfortunate,' Sadiq told The Indian Express. 'The fact is that the (Pahalgam) incident happened even though we didn't have a statehood and the law and order was with the Centre. Why should the people of Jammu and Kashmir suffer for this. The people responsible should be taken to task, and not the people of Jammu and Kashmir.' Sadiq said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will 'answer a lot many questions that he has not in the last seven months'.
India Today
20-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Row over J&K job quota report, Omar Abdullah calls out opposition's hypocrisy
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah defended the government's decision to send the Cabinet sub-committee (CSC) report on reservations in government jobs to the law department even as the opposition accused him of delaying tactics. After the report, a key poll promise of Abdullah, was tabled before the Cabinet, it was decided to send it to the law department."We constituted a cabinet sub-committee on the issue of reservations. It has been now sent to the law department. It is a part of the process. We can't bypass the process... My government has completed a few months. Ask me about my promises and performance after 5 years," Abdullah said as the opposition raised a hue and a the heart of the row lies a new reservation policy that was introduced by the J&K Lieutenant Governor before the Assembly election last year. The administration had quietly amended the J&K Reservation Act, 2005, to increase the quota for the reserved category in the state to 67% from 43%. This squeezed the reservation for the general category to 33%, prompting protests by students. To placate the students, Abdullah had announced a sub-committee to look into the issue and had said in December 2024 it would be resolved within six ACCUSES OMAR ABDULLAH OF DELAYPeoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Waheed Para said the delay in addressing the concerns of the protesting students was a "deliberate denial of justice"."Six months ago, the J&K government promised to resolve the reservation issue through a sub-committee report. That deadline has passed, leaving thousands of students heartbroken and disillusioned, their trust in the system shattered, and their futures put on hold," Waheed Para letter by Open Merit Students of Jammu and Kashmir to the Chief Minister said the development had left the students shattered and questioned the silence of the government on the implementation timeline. The students sought immediate review of reservations in J&K."If legal vetting was required, why was it not done earlier? Why wait until the last day?" the students MINISTER RESPONDSHitting back at the PDP and its chief Mehbooba Mufti and People's Conference leader Sajjad Lone, Abdullah accused them of double standards on the issue."When Mehbooba Mufti needed votes, she strictly banned her party members from even talking about reservation... When contesting elections from Anantnag and needing votes from Rajouri and Poonch, why did she not talk about reservation then?" ANI quoted the Chief Minister as saying."Sajjad Lone was close to the government for five years when all this was happening. We were evicted from our government houses, and our security was reduced, while he was sitting in a government house. Why did he not talk about the reservation then?" Abdullah further National Conference leader said if he indeed had to waste time, he would have given six more months to the sub-committee to submit the InMust Watch
