Lost huge political capital due to non-restoration of statehood: Omar Abdullah

IIO Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said he has lost “huge political capital” because of the prolonged delay in restoring statehood to the Union Territory, adding that public anger and disappointment over the issue extend beyond the Modi government to mainstream politicians, including himself.

In an interview with journalist Karan Thapar for The Wire, Abdullah said he had put a significant amount of his own political credibility at stake by seeking a constructive working relationship with the Centre in the hope of securing early restoration of statehood. “I put a huge amount of my own political credibility at stake for this. I know for a fact that I’ve eroded a large part of it,” he stated.

He described the Centre’s commitment to restore statehood “at an appropriate time” as a moving target. “It’s like running a marathon. Instead of completing it in 42 km, every time you reach near the finishing line, they keep shifting it,” Abdullah said, criticising the lack of a defined timeline or clear conditions.

Abdullah noted that the sense of disappointment in Jammu and Kashmir is palpable and urged the central government to honour commitments made to Parliament, the judiciary and the people of the region. He said his government would continue pressing for statehood through political dialogue, street protests and demonstrations in the national capital.