Statehood Dilemma

Date

1/28/2025 3:16:04 PM

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer)
Representational Photo

The demand for the restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir is a Politically complex issue. And the newly elected government headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is finding it challenging to balance New Delhi's apparent reluctance to grant it and the growing Political chorus in the Valley urging the CM to push for it. It is true that people have experienced a certain sense of loss since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, which revoked the region's special status and restructured it into two union territories. And restoration of statehood would go a long way to address this loss.

However, as the ruling National Conference's approach since its assumption of power in October underlines, it has chosen to work with the centre to resolve the issues of the UT. As things stand, cooperation with the centre over antagonism seems the way to go. This is a policy that has been advocated from the chief minister on down to deputy chief minister and the other senior leaders in the party. The Chief Minister has time and again made it clear that there was no reason to pick up a fight with the centre. He may be right as the prime minister Narendra Modi and the home minister Amit Shah have frequently promised the reinstatement of statehood. In fact, PM Modi reiterated the promise during his recent visit to the UT to inaugurate the strategically important Z-Morh tunnel that will connect Kashmir with Ladakh around the year.

The senior NC leader Ruhullah Mehdi has, however, been skeptical of the centre's assurances and has urged the CM to adopt a more assertive stance on the issue. His argument is that the mandate received by the NC is to champion people's rights in its dealings with the centre, not to be seen as submitting to it and playing a subservient role. Mehdi's position has resonated with a significant section of the population, which wants the elected government to make a stronger pitch for the restoration of statehood.

That said, it is still early days for the NC government, its honeymoon period so to say. And the Centre, on its part, hasn't gone back on its statehood promise. But it is also true that no timeline has been given so far, and there's hope that it too may come in due course of time. But for the statehood goal to materialize, it is important that both the J&K's hybrid government and the union government work together. For the Omar-led government, it will be a challenging balancing act but one that is critical to J&K's future.

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