Omar Says 2019 Changes Altered J&K’s Political Course, Calls for Return of Powers
Srinagar, Aug 15, KNT: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said the political changes in Jammu and Kashmir since 2019 had fundamentally altered the situation in the region, claiming that people living across the Line of Control might otherwise have been seeking reunification with Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking at the Independence Day function at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar, Omar said the developments across the LoC had reinforced his view that the decision taken by Jammu and Kashmir’s leadership in 1947 was correct.
He recalled the resistance mounted by people in Jammu and Kashmir against tribal raiders and infiltrators in 1947, saying local residents had fought the attackers even before the Indian Army reached the region.
Omar said the situation prevailing across the LoC today was a matter of concern and maintained that the people living there continued to be regarded as part of Jammu and Kashmir.
“That part of Jammu and Kashmir is ours. We consider those people as our own, not strangers, not outsiders,” he said.
He then linked the situation to the developments of 2019, saying that had the political position of Jammu and Kashmir not changed that year, people across the LoC would have been protesting for reunification.
“I realize that if our situation had not changed in 2019, then the people of that part of Jammu and Kashmir would have been protesting for us to reunite,” Omar said.
Referring to the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, he said seats meant for representatives from areas across the LoC continued to remain vacant in the hope that they would eventually be occupied.
Omar also turned his focus to federalism, arguing that restoring powers taken away from Jammu and Kashmir was necessary if the principle of federalism was to have practical meaning.
“When we talk about federalism, it should be strengthened from Jammu and Kashmir by returning to us what was taken away, so that federalism does not remain confined to words but is implemented in practice,” he said.
The Chief Minister cited protests at Jantar Mantar in Delhi while arguing that the weakening of federalism could manifest itself through public protests. He referred specifically to education and health, saying these remained state subjects, while centralized entrance examinations such as NEET and JEE had reduced the role of states in determining admissions to professional institutions.
Omar also acknowledged the erosion of public confidence caused by controversies surrounding recruitment in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said rebuilding trust in an institution or system could take years once it had been lost, and called for recruitment and admission processes to be transparent and based strictly on merit.
“ To lose trust on something, or on a system, is a game of minutes. To regain trust, takes years and years,” he said.
Emphasizing the role of scrutiny in a democracy, Omar said the government was responsible for governance, the opposition for holding the government accountable and the media for holding both sides to account.
He described Independence Day as an occasion not only for celebration but also for remembrance and introspection.
Omar reiterated his government’s commitment to restoration of statehood, constitutional guarantees and development, saying the administration would continue to represent the people and work towards fulfilling their aspirations.
He also extended Independence Day greetings to the people and expressed hope that the coming decades would be more peaceful, prosperous and advanced. [KNT]
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