New Delhi: Omar Abdullah on Wednesday described the office of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister as that of “disempowerment”, saying he is having the “unique misfortune” of transitioning from leading one of country’s most empowered states to a Union Territory with “far less power than any other state CM.”
Speaking at the ‘Express Adda’ organised by The Indian Express, Abdullah minced no words in criticising the current administrative setup, alleging constant interference by the lieutenant governor.
He also demanded that the Centre define a clear “target” for the restoration of statehood.
Abdullah touched upon the “asymmetrical” power struggle with Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, the economic realities of the Kashmir Valley, and his disagreements with his father, Farooq Abdullah, regarding electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Abdullah admitted that he finds it “very difficult” to even use the terms “Union Territory” and “Jammu and Kashmir” in the same sentence.
“I hate being reminded that we are a Union Territory,” he said, adding that while he was never introduced as the “CM of the State” during his previous tenure, officers now feel a constant need to emphasise the ‘UT’ status.
He said it is very difficult to reconcile oneself with moving from a state that had its own constitution and flag.
Abdullah offered a candid and “realistic” assessment of the state’s political future, asserting that while he remains committed to the restoration of special status, he will not “fool the people” by asking the current Central government to return what they took away.
On the restoration of Article 370, Abdullah said its return hinges entirely on a change of government at the Centre.
“It is pointless asking the people who took it away from us to give it back to us,” he said.
While Abdullah noted that the Central government has been “well disposed” in terms of funding and extending capital expenditure schemes, he alleged that the relationship with the LG office has been antagonistic.
He listed several instances where the Lt Governor Sinha continues to hold chairmanships or chancellorships that traditionally belong to the elected head which include holding the post of chairman of the J&K Power Development Corporation and calling a meeting for Gulmarg on December 21.
“What business does someone responsible for ‘security’ have holding a tourism meeting?” he asked.
Abdullah alleged that the LG appointed an IAS officer to a post reserved for J&K Administrative Services (JKAS) specifically to deny the elected government control over the information department.
On the stalled restoration of statehood, Abdullah reminded the Centre of the promised three-step process which was delimitation, election, and statehood.
“Two steps are complete. Why are we made to wait for the third?” he asked.
He challenged the Centre to define the “appropriate time” they frequently cite. “Tell us what the goalpost is. Is it when the BJP comes to power? If so, be honest so the people can decide.”
Clarifying recent reports about a potential resignation, Abdullah denied setting an ultimatum but warned that his patience regarding the restoration of statehood is not infinite.
“I didn’t say I would resign. I said there is a finite timeline to everything, and there would be a finite limit to my patience,” the chief minister said.
“I’m trying to teach myself to be a little less categorical than I used to be…words come back and bite you later.”
Abdullah launched a detailed critique of the administrative “strangulation” by the LG office, alleging interference in departments that have nothing to do with security or law and order.
He said that a cabinet decision to modify reservation percentages remains pending with the LG. “There is an asymmetrical allocation of power between the elected and unelected government,” he said.
Speaking about the terror attacks and radicalisation, Abdullah warned that “hyper nationalism” and collective punishment are fuelling radicalisation and strongly condemned the practice of house demolitions following terror attacks.
“You went and blew up 10 or 12 homes after the Pahalgam attack, only to find later there was no Kashmiri involvement,” he said. “If those people are further radicalised, whose fault is it?”
He also pointed to recent controversies over a football team’s composition and medical college admissions based on merit, where the BJP “was up in arms” because the majority were Muslims.
“When you push an entire community to the sidelines, how can you expect an absence of reaction?” he said.
On the national front, Abdullah was blunt about the INDIA bloc and said it often finds itself in the “ICU” or on “ventilator support”.
He acknowledged that the issue is not currently on the INDIA bloc’s agenda, defending Rahul Gandhi’s silence on the matter.
“I am nothing if not realistic… I’d like him to win an election first before I can have this conversation. In this current environment, he’s not going to win if he stands up and says that,” the chief minister said.
In a departure from his father’s stance, Abdullah dismissed the idea of EVM tampering (“machine chori”).
“My father is a vehement believer in machine chori…everything that comes on WhatsApp is the gospel truth to him,” the chief minister said. “But I believe we should own the defeat and work toward correcting it.”
Instead, he blamed the “gerrymandering” of constituencies during the delimitation process for unfair electoral advantages.
Responding to the frequent criticism of Jawaharlal Nehru by the current establishment, Abdullah defended the first prime minister’s “strong foundation” for India.
He also said that in the future “when this government changes… Every problem in this country will be laid at the doorstep of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. You can take it in writing from me…that’s how politics works.”
Earlier in the session, the chief minister spoke about the “dry spell” and pollution in Srinagar, saying that the valley’s geography traps smog.
He sought to correct the “mistaken belief” that tourism is the sole engine of J&K’s economy and clarified that tourism ranks fourth in contribution to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), behind agriculture, horticulture, and industry.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
