Statehood Promise Still Unfulfilled, Wounds Yet to Heal: CM Omar Abdullah on Article 370 Anniversary

JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Aug 5: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the “wounds” of the people remain unhealed seven years after the abrogation of Article 370, asserting that the Centre’s promise to restore statehood to the Union Territory has yet to be fulfilled. Speaking to reporters during his visit to Surankote in Poonch district, Abdullah said people had hoped the restoration of statehood would address at least some of the grievances arising from the constitutional changes of August 5, 2019. “Our wounds have not yet healed. We had hoped that some of the pain would be addressed and that the promise of restoring statehood would be fulfilled. But today marks seven years since August 5, 2019, and that promise remains unfulfilled,” the Chief Minister said. The BJP-led Central Government revoked the special constitutional status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir by abrogating Article 370 on August 5, 2019, and reorganised the state into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Reiterating his government’s position, Abdullah said the National Conference would continue its efforts to seek restoration of the rights that were taken away. “As we said while passing the resolution in the Assembly, we remain firm in our stand and will continue to seek justice for the injustices done to us,” he said. Earlier in the day, Abdullah reaffirmed his party’s stand in a post on X, saying the National Conference had neither forgotten nor accepted the changes introduced in 2019. “Seven years, we haven’t forgotten and we haven’t reconciled, far less accepted our current circumstances. My party and I remain committed to reversing all that was done to J&K that took away our rights and threatens our identity,” he wrote. He concluded his message with a line from Robert Frost’s poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening: “The woods are lovely, dark & deep. But I have promises to keep. And miles to go before I sleep…” Meanwhile, the ruling National Conference organised protests across Jammu and Kashmir to mark the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, demanding restoration of the erstwhile state’s special status and statehood. In Srinagar, scores of NC leaders, MLAs and workers, led by Education Minister Sakina Itoo, assembled at the party headquarters, Nawa-i-Subah, and attempted to take out a protest march carrying placards in support of Article 370 and statehood. Police prevented the protesters from moving beyond the party office premises. Similar demonstrations were also held in Jammu and other district headquarters across the Union Territory.