Source: PMO India/X
One of the biggest moves of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second term’s return to power in 2019 was the long standing wish of the BJP remove Article 370 and took away the temporary special status of Jammu And Kashmir . And on August 5, 2019 the decison was taken with Home Minister Amit Shah announcing in Parliament the Centre’s bold move. As a result the region was split into two union territories – Jammu And kashmir and Ladakh.
In December 2023, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court of India unanimously upheld the removal of Article 370, calling it a temporary provision. And under the directive of the Supreme Court, assembly elections were held in late 2024. In the elections that followed National Conference and it’s ally the Congress secured absolute majority.
The win paved the way for Omar Abdullah to become Chief Minister for the second time in his political career. First of the union territory . Omar in his previous term was the state’s 11th and the youngest Chief Minister and had six- year term from from 2009- 2015 , a coalition government with the Congress.
As union the government mark’s the seven years of the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and terming it Naya Kashmir. The @BJP4India X handle points out the achievements – On August 5, 2019, following the abrogation of Article 370, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh have scripted a new saga of prosperity. There has been a significant decline in terrorism and stone-pelting in the valleys, fostering an atmosphere of peace and security. The Lassipura Industrial Hub in Pulwama and advanced storage facilities for apple horticulture have opened new avenues for employment and startups for the youth. Daughters raising the Tricolor in judo and rugby on the sports field, along with emerging young fashion talents from NIFT Srinagar, are now carving out their identities on global platforms. From the Chenab Bridge and Vande Bharat trains to the vibrancy of Dal Lake and the record-breaking influx of tourists and pilgrims, Kashmir’s beauty and infrastructure have taken on a fresh form. With the resolve of “One Nation, One Constitution, and One Flag,” our Jammu & Kashmir is marching ahead on a new path of progress!
But it’s not been smooth as well . The dastradly killing of 26 tourits in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025 brought back the dark memories . It also brought to the fore the Centre state relations and the division of power . Under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, the Jammu and Kashmir Police and overall public order and security apparatus function directly under the control of the Union Government through the Lieutenant Governor (LG), rather than the elected state government. Public order and police are reserved subjects under the Lieutenant Governor’s domain.The LG Manoj Sinha regularly chairs high-level security and Unified Command reviews.Key Officials: Meetings include the Chief Secretary, DGP (Nalin Prabhat), and top military/intelligence chiefs. CM Omar Abdullah has been blunt even going on to term the current administrative structure in Jammu and Kashmir the “worst form of government”. Routine decisions, bureaucratic files, and security or administrative appointments often require clearances through the Lieutenant Governor’s office thereby underming the elected Chief Minister.
But apart from the gung- ho the union government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in several pre- poll rallies also promised along with assembly polls in J&K the big issue -Statehood. And reminding the Center on its promise was the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who put the ball in Prime Minister Modi’s doorstep. It may be recalled that on September 19, 2024 during an election rally in Katra on the question of statehood Modi reportedly said : “From the foothills of Vaishno Devi, I am promising that statehood will be returned to Jammu and Kashmir. Not that I am saying this at a poll rally, but we have announced this in Parliament.”
Source: PMO India/X
Moreover, The Union government assured the Supreme Court of India during the 2023 Article 370 hearings that the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) would be restored “at the earliest and as soon as possible”. While the court directed that assembly elections be completed by September 30, 2024 (which were held), full statehood remains pending.The Supreme Court explicitly noted the government’s assurance on record, stating that statehood should be restored at the earliest.
Interestingly , Two years have gone by since the assembly polls and the promise is yet to be fulfilled . And reminding the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his own words was chief Minister Omar Abdullah who have been very vocal in his statehood demand . Omar has now put pressure on PM Modi to live up to his own prommise when he reportedly remarked at a rally in Jammu : “In (Jammu’s) Katra, the Prime Minister talked about the restoration of J&K’s Statehood, with these words that ‘it isn’t an ordinary promise but Modi’s promise’. If the PM makes a promise, it should carry some weight, and there should be some action on it” .
Onn the 7th year of abrogation of Article 370, Omar took to X and wrote these lines , 7 years, we haven’t forgotten & we haven’t reconciled far less accepted our current circumstances. My party & I remain committed to reversing all that was done to J&K that took away our rights & threatens our identity. “The woods are lovely, dark & deep. But I have promises to keep. And miles to go before I sleep……..”
7 years, we haven’t forgotten & we haven’t reconciled far less accepted our current circumstances. My party & I remain committed to reversing all that was done to J&K that took away our rights & threatens our identity. “The woods are lovely, dark & deep. But I have promises to…
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) August 5, 2026
The on- going monsoon too has seen the oppostion raising the demand for full statehood to Jammu And Kashmir. The NC govenment is working in coordination with the centre. And Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had in- fact lauded Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for taking positive steps to bridge the emotional gap, or dil ki doori, between the people of Kashmir and New Delhi. Singh commended the local administration’s cooperative approach toward fostering stronger ties with the rest of India. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman too praised Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his “focused” and “determined” efforts to revive the Union Territory’s economy following a severe blow to its tourism sector hit badly due to Pahalgam terror strike .
Lastly, The cooperative tone between Centre and state government is a huge step towards transformation of Jammu and Kashmir. And with Pakistan making every effort to highlight J&K at International fora, a cordial centre state relations is the need of the hour to thwart their evil designs . And If statehood has been promised then it must be fulfilled . The promise was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself none else viewers . If the promise is not delivered then the adage ‘Modi Guarantee’ will remain in words only and will not be taken seriously . Further it will be a butt of jokes and endless memes on the social media .
