“If Not Delhi, Then Where?”: Omar Abdullah Announces July 20 Protest For J&K Statehood

Jammu, Jul 12 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday announced a fresh phase of protests beginning July 20 against the Centre in Delhi over “unexplained delay” in restoring of statehood to the Union Territory. Addressing a public rally here, Abdullah said his party waited for two years after the Assembly election in the hope that the Centre would restore statehood. “We have given the Central government enough time. For nearly two years, we pursued talks for the restoration of statehood. Now we will adopt a new strategy,” Abdullah said. Questioning the Centre’s repeated deferral of statehood to an “appropriate time”, the chief minister wondered what that appropriate time constituted and whether it meant the BJP coming to power in Jammu and Kashmir. “The BJP leaders are making statements against NC’s Jantar Mantar protest and saying that we will not get the statehood by doing this protest…If not in Delhi, then where?” he asked. “If decisions concerning a part of our own country cannot be taken in our own national capital, where are they supposed to be taken?” he added. Abdullah said the BJP constantly undermined its efforts for statehood through protests in J-K, in the Assembly, and is now doing the same with its protest in the national capital. “So what do they expect us to do? Should we go to America and protest outside the White House to seek Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood? We are only asking for a promise made in our own country to be honoured in our own country’s capital,” he said. The National Conference leader accused the BJP of using statehood as a bait to wield as a political instrument rather than fulfilling a constitutional commitment. “If it is Modi’s promise made on the soil of Katra, then it should be honoured,” he said, referring to the prime minister’s promise to restore statehood. Abdullah also referred to the Supreme Court calling for statehood restoration “as soon as possible” after the completion of the electoral process. “Those are not my words; they are the words of the Supreme Court,” he said. He alleged that the Centre was punishing the people of Jammu and Kashmir by withholding statehood. “The people of Jammu stood with the nation whenever the country faced challenges. Border districts bore the brunt of shelling, and Jammu opened its doors to those displaced by militancy. What crime have the people committed that they continue to be denied statehood?” Abdullah said. Invoking Mahatma Gandhi, Abdullah said that during the post-Partition violence, the father of the nation had termed Jammu and Kashmir a symbol of communal harmony. He also wondered whether the region was now being penalised for upholding the ideals of Hindu-Muslim-Sikh unity. Abdullah said the National Conference will continue its campaign through democratic and peaceful means until Jammu and Kashmir regains full statehood. “We will continue knocking on the doors of our own nation’s capital. We will continue reminding the country’s leadership of the promises made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. We only ask that those promises be honoured,” he said. The chief minister, who reached Jammu by road, said he left Srinagar at 6 am to seek permission from the people for a protest in Delhi. “We were forced to come on the roads after the talks failed. The July 20 protest will be the start of our agitation in support of the demand,” Abdullah said, as the strong crowd raised hands in support.