Srinagar, Aug 15: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today announced to launch signature campaign for the restoration of statehood.
“We will not sit idle. Over the next eight weeks, we will reach all 90 Assembly constituencies, every village, every home, gathering signatures and thumb impressions from people on whether they want J&K to be a State again. If the people say they are satisfied with the current situation, I will accept defeat. But my heart tells me we will gather hundreds of thousands of signatures to present before the Central Government and the Supreme Court,” he said.
He said that he was disappointed with observations made by the SC bench and the Pahalgam incident being used as an excuse to delay Statehood. CM said that restoration of Statehood should be the first step to build a strong J&K. There should not be a situation where bureaucracy is not accountable to the Elected Government.
Omar was addressing people at the Bakshi Stadium after hoisting the tricolor. He called for unity, justice, and restoration of the state’s constitutional status.
Expressing dismay over the linking of statehood restoration to security incidents, the Chief Minister said:
“We are being punished for the Pahalgam attack — an attack the people of J&K themselves condemned from Kathua to Kupwara. Statehood should not be decided by those behind Pahalgam. Is this justice?”
He reminded that during previous elected governments, militancy-related incidents consistently declined and that elected leadership has proven its capability to maintain peace.
“Trust us once — we did not fail before, and God willing, we will not fail in the future,” he said.
He questioned the prolonged wait for democracy’s return to J&K and the unfulfilled hopes of meaningful announcements from New Delhi.
“Some of our friends and relatives kept telling me this year there would be an announcement from Delhi. We waited. It did not happen. The truth is, the ray of light I often spoke about has dimmed slightly — but I am still not ready to give up or accept that nothing will change,” he asserted.
Omar Abdullah asked whether the stated objective of integrating J&K fully and equally with the rest of the country had truly been achieved.
“Has equality come? Are we equal to the rest of the country? Have we improved? If yes, I will remain silent. But if not, tell me — what was our fault that we find ourselves here today?”