Statehood – Farooq Abdullah Urges Centre to Fulfil Jammu and Kashmir Commitment

  Statehood –Jammu and Kashmir National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has once again urged the Central government to restore the Union Territory’s statehood, saying the assurances made to the people of the region and the nation should now be implemented. His remarks came as political parties marked the anniversary of the revocation of Article 370 and renewed their demands for constitutional and political commitments to be honoured.

Farooq Abdullah Repeats Call for Statehood

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Farooq Abdullah stressed that the Centre should move forward with the roadmap it had previously outlined for Jammu and Kashmir. Referring to the anniversary of the August 2019 constitutional changes, he said the government had publicly committed to restoring statehood and should now fulfil that pledge.

According to Abdullah, the promise was not only made to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir but also before the entire country. He maintained that restoring statehood remains an important step toward addressing the region’s political aspirations and rebuilding public confidence.

National Conference Criticises Post-Article 370 Developments

National Conference MLA Sajjad Shaheen also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party over its claims regarding the impact of the abrogation of Article 370. Addressing the media, he argued that the constitutional changes had not achieved the objective of ending militancy in the region.

Shaheen further said the reorganisation of the former state into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh had deeply affected public sentiment. He pointed out that the Centre had committed in Parliament and also through submissions before the Supreme Court that statehood would be restored. He urged the government to act on those commitments without further delay.

Mehbooba Mufti Renews Demand for Constitutional Restoration

People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti organised a candlelight protest in Srinagar ahead of the anniversary, accusing the BJP-led government of taking away Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status. During the demonstration, she reiterated her party’s demand for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A.

Mufti said the PDP would continue raising issues related to the constitutional provisions, the broader Kashmir question and the release of individuals who, according to the party, remain lodged in prisons across different parts of the country. She described Article 370 as a constitutional safeguard linked to the identity and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, adding that these protections were rooted in India’s Constitution.

Omar Abdullah Highlights Party’s Ongoing Campaign

Earlier in July, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah praised Farooq Abdullah’s participation in a National Conference protest held in New Delhi. He described the veteran leader’s presence in the march as a powerful representation of the party’s continuing campaign for the restoration of statehood.

Omar Abdullah said seeing the 90-year-old party president leading the protest despite his age reflected the National Conference’s determination to continue pressing for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional and political rights. He added that the march symbolised the party’s commitment to pursuing what it considers a matter of dignity for the people of the region.

Statehood Remains a Central Political Issue

Since the reorganisation of the former state in August 2019, the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood has remained one of the National Conference’s principal political demands. Party leaders have consistently maintained that the Centre had assured both Parliament and the Supreme Court that statehood would be reinstated at an appropriate stage.

With political parties once again highlighting the issue on the anniversary of the Article 370 decision, the demand for restoring statehood continues to remain at the centre of Jammu and Kashmir’s political discourse, alongside broader discussions on constitutional rights and governance.