Picture : Twitter / ANI
National Conference vice – president and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that delimitation is not needed in Jammu and Kashmir at present and claimed it was being “treated differently” with the formation of a delimitation commission.
Abdullah told reporters after the all-party meeting of leaders from Jammu and Kashmir with Prime Minister Narendra Modi that more meetings are needed to bridge the distances between “dil aur Delhi” (hearts and Delhi).
“As far as the delimitation is concerned, it is not needed in Jammu and Kashmir. When Jammu and Kashmir is a part of India like any other state, why separate delimitation. While the rest of the country will have delimitation in 2026, why in Jammu and Kashmir now?” he asked.
“On one hand the Centre claimed that the decision in August 2019 was taken for a complete merger of Jammu and Kashmir with the Union of India and, on the other hand, Jammu and Kashmir is treated differently by bringing a delimitation commission,” he said.
“All leaders demanded full statehood for J&K. Both PM & HM said the work for elections and restoring statehood should start soon. Azad Sahib said that first statehood should be restored and then elections should be held. On this PM didn’t say anything, Omar Abdullah was quoted as saying by ANI.
The former chief minister said the National Conference was fighting for the rights of people.
“It is not possible in one meeting and more such meetings will be needed. We are not come here to weaken this country. We are fighting for our rights and we will participate in the elections,” he said.
Answering a query related to Mehbooba Mufti’s remarks about talks with Pakistan, he said backchannel talks are taking place but the neighbour had the responsibility to create an atmosphere of peace for talks.
He also said that the National Conference does not accept the decision to abrogate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and will fight against it in court.
The former Chief Minister said Jammu and Kashmir was given the status of a union territory and “people don’t like it”. “They want full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir with Jammu and Kashmir cadre restored,” he said.
Omar Abdullah said all leaders who participated in the meeting demanded full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.
Fourteen prominent leaders from Jammu and Kashmir took part in the meeting, the first high-level interaction between the Centre and political leadership mainly from Kashmir since August 5, 2019, when the Centre revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and the state was bifurcated into two union territories.
