Omar Abdullah, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, has pointed out problems with the current system where he shares power with the lieutenant governor. He believes this setup is not good for the region and has urged the central government to quickly bring back statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
In his first major interview since becoming chief minister, Abdullah expressed some hope that the central government would honor its promises about restoring statehood. He referred to promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah during their election campaigns.
Abdullah related this issue to how businesses operate, saying that having two leaders is never a good idea. For a team or a government to function well, there should only be one leader. He compared it to sports, where each team has one captain.
He argued that having two power centers, like in Delhi, where the government shares power with the lieutenant governor, has led to many issues. He emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir needs a united government, especially since it’s a large region near China and Pakistan.
Abdullah pointed out that since becoming a Union Territory in August 2019, Jammu and Kashmir has not seen any benefits. He stated, “I have yet to see a single example of how we have gained from being a Union Territory.”
He mentioned that Jammu and Kashmir was made a Union Territory after Article 370 was removed, which had given it special status. Recently, the Supreme Court instructed that assembly elections should happen by September and that statehood should be restored soon.
After the elections, Abdullah’s party, the National Conference, won a significant number of seats. He argued that the only reason elections were held was due to the Supreme Court’s involvement concerning statehood.
Abdullah admitted he has a backup plan in case statehood isn’t restored. He believes that promises made by the central government should be kept. He pointed out that voters showed up because they want statehood back, and the government has to act on it.
He added that the final say on restoring statehood lies with the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. Abdullah described the government setup as a learning process and acknowledged the difficulties faced during this transition. He noted that while the lieutenant governor manages law and order, the elected government handles other duties, and they are working to clarify roles within the administration.
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