Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood cannot be achieved through a single protest, asserting that sustained and consistent political effort is required to secure the objective.
Speaking to reporters, Omar said the National Conference had already registered its protest in New Delhi ahead of the anniversary of the August 5, 2019 developments, without waiting for a symbolic date to make its position known. “We did not wait for August 5. We went to Delhi to register our protest before August 5,” he said, in an apparent reference to the Peoples Democratic Party’s announced protest on August 5.
The Chief Minister maintained that a single demonstration would not be sufficient to restore statehood, remarking that even long standing political movements do not succeed through a solitary agitation. He indicated that the National Conference would mark the anniversary in its own manner, saying, “We will do on August 5 what we have to do.”
Turning to the security situation, Omar addressed the prevailing tension along the border, saying the government was closely monitoring developments and had taken note of reports of civilians being targeted. “We are all anxious and concerned over the evolving situation along the border across Kashmir where innocents are being targeted. We pray for peace,” he said, reflecting the administration’s continuing focus on the ground situation even as the political debate over statehood restoration continues.
The Chief Minister’s comments come against the backdrop of persistent demands from various political parties in Jammu and Kashmir for the restoration of full statehood, which was withdrawn following the constitutional changes of August 2019. While the National Conference government has repeatedly raised the demand at the political and administrative level, opposition parties including the PDP have accused the ruling party of not doing enough to press the issue with the Union Government.
Omar’s remarks suggest the National Conference intends to keep the statehood demand a sustained campaign rather than reduce it to a single day of protest, positioning the coming August 5 anniversary as one milestone in a longer political effort rather than the defining moment of the movement. The coming days are expected to see further exchanges between the ruling and opposition parties over the issue.
