"Miles to go before I sleep": Omar Abdullah reiterates J-K statehood demand on Article 370 abrogation 7th anniversary
New Delhi, August 5
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday declared that Jammu & Kashmir National Conference remains firmly committed to reversing all administrative and constitutional changes that stripped the region of its special rights and threatened its distinct identity.
In August 2019, the Central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, repealed Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, effectively ending the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating the state into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
In a post on X, CM Abdullah quoted lines of the poem 'Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening' by famous American Poet Robert Frost.
"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', he said.
Earlier on Tuesday, former J-K Chief Minister and J-K National Conference president Farooq Abdullah called upon the central government to honour the assurances previously given to the local population and the entire country.
Talking on the anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, he said, "The government should fulfil its promise; they have promised the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the country... they should fulfil the promise."
Earlier today, Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram termed the abrogation of Article 370 and the subsequent reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir seven years ago as a "Constitutional outrage," while questioning the government's timeline for restoring statehood.
Marking the seventh anniversary of the landmark decision that stripped the region of its special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories, Chidambaram noted that the "story did not end there."
Highlighting that a fundamental legal question still remains unanswered by the judiciary, in a post on social media platform X, Chidambaram said, "Seven years ago this day, a Constitutional outrage was perpetrated splitting the State of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories. The story did not end there. The question whether a State can be divided and reduced to UTs was raised before the Hon'ble Supreme Court, but the Court declined to decide that question on the ground that the Government had assured the Court that Statehood will be soon restored."
The National Conference has repeatedly urged the Centre to fulfil its commitment to restore Jammu and Kashmir's statehood, a promise it says was made in Parliament and before the Supreme Court. Statehood has remained a key demand of the party since the erstwhile state was reorganised into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The poem quote by Omar Abdullah is poignant - "miles to go before I sleep." But we also need to look at the ground reality. Tourism is booming, terrorism incidents have dropped drastically, and infrastructure is being built. Yes, statehood is important for democratic representation and the people of J&K deserve it. I hope the government keeps its word soon. 🤞
I respect Chidambaram's legal argument that the Supreme Court should have decided on whether a state can be reduced to UT status. That's a fundamental constitutional question. But at the same time, the abrogation of Article 370 has brought J&K closer to the mainstream. The real issue now is restoring statehood - that's a promise that must be fulfilled. Period.
"We haven't forgotten & we haven't reconciled" - that's a strong statement from CM Abdullah. But is holding on to the past helping the people of J&K? I'm not saying statehood isn't important - it absolutely is. But the narrative should shift from "reversing everything" to "building the future." The youth of Kashmir deserve jobs, education, and opportunities, not endless political battles. Just my two paise. 💭
The central government made a solemn promise in Parliament and before the Supreme Court that statehood will be restored. Now they are dilly-dallying. This doesn't sit well with the people of J&K. If we want to truly win hearts and minds, we need to fulfill commitments. It's a matter of trust and moral authority. The delay only plays into the hands of those who spread discontent.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.