Jammu and Kashmir Government Pursues Statehood Restoration While Ignoring Article 370 Commitments

Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir criticised the recent resolution by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's Cabinet. The resolution seeks only the restoration of statehood, not Article 370. This move is seen as a departure from the National Conference's earlier stance. The Cabinet, chaired by Abdullah, passed this resolution and sent it to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for approval.

Political Reactions to Statehood Resolution

Various parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Conference (PC), and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), expressed disappointment. They reminded the National Conference of its election promise to restore Articles 370 and 35A along with statehood. The NC's manifesto had pledged to challenge the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019, and related rules during the interim period.

The manifesto also promised that the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly would prioritise passing a resolution against the Centre's decision to revoke statehood and special status. PDP leader Iltija Mufti questioned the secrecy surrounding the Cabinet's resolution on statehood. She criticised the lack of focus on restoring Jammu and Kashmir's special status.

Criticism from Political Leaders

Iltija Mufti stated on X, "Isn't this fait accompli, whitewashing & legitimising Delhi's illegal brutal disempowerment & disrobing of India's only Muslim majority state? Not a scale back but utter surrender." PDP youth wing president Waheed Para echoed similar sentiments. He viewed Abdullah's resolution on statehood as an endorsement of the August 5, 2019 decision.

Para, who represents Pulwama in the assembly, expressed disappointment over no mention of Article 370 in the resolution. Baramulla MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid described the resolution as painful and a deviation from NC's principled stand. He reminded Abdullah of his election campaign focused on Articles 370, 35A, and statehood.

Rashid accused Abdullah of aligning with BJP interests by not addressing Articles 370 and 35A. He questioned why Abdullah sought what BJP leaders Narendra Modi and Amit Shah had already promised—statehood restoration. Rashid called it an eyewash and a deviation from Abdullah's electoral agenda.

Assembly vs Cabinet Debate

Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone questioned why only one newspaper reported on the statehood resolution. He hoped for official notification from Jammu and Kashmir's chief secretary. Lone argued that such resolutions should be passed in the Assembly rather than the Cabinet.

Lone emphasised that the Assembly reflects the will of Jammu and Kashmir's people more accurately than the Cabinet. He noted that major issues like statehood or Article 370 should be addressed in the Assembly. He recalled that previous resolutions on autonomy were passed in the Assembly.

Lone expressed confusion over why this resolution wasn't reserved for Assembly discussion. He questioned why there was a rush to trivialise significant matters. As a separatist-turned-mainstream politician, he wanted to see how BJP and other parties would vote on statehood and Article 370 in the Assembly.

The political landscape in Jammu and Kashmir remains tense as parties continue to debate these critical issues. The focus remains on fulfilling pre-election promises while navigating complex political dynamics within the region.