Srinagar, Sep 17: On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 76th birthday, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reiterated his demand for the restoration of statehood to J&K, saying that if the Prime Minister wanted to make a significant announcement on the occasion, restoring the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir would be one such step.
Speaking to the media in Amritsar, the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said he had no indication of what Prime Minister Modi might announce on his birthday, but added that restoring J&K’s statehood would be a significant step.
“If nothing else, give us the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir. What else do we need?” Omar said.
JK chief minister Omar Abdullah was in Amritsar to inaugurate the renovated heritage building of the Jammu and Kashmir House on Court Road. He also extended birthday greetings to the Prime Minister.
“You all know what happened with us. We were told that statehood would be restored after the J&K elections. But nothing was given in writing; only verbal assurances were given,” he said.
The Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said the Centre had outlined a sequence involving delimitation, Assembly elections and restoration of statehood. While delimitation and elections had taken place, he said, the final step had yet to be implemented.
“Even in Parliament and in the Supreme Court, this assurance was given. While we saw delimitation and elections in J&K, in which people participated, statehood has not been restored even till now,” he said.
Citing J&K’s experience while making the appeal, CM Omar said the Union Territory had itself received verbal assurances on the restoration of statehood.
The Supreme Court, in its December 2023 judgment on the constitutional changes concerning J&K, recorded the Union Government’s assurance that statehood would be restored after elections to the Union Territory’s Legislative Assembly.
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections were subsequently held in 2024, while the Union Territory continues to retain its existing status.
The Chief Minister said Jammu and Kashmir had been given assurances that statehood would be restored after the Assembly elections, but no written commitment was provided.
“We were told that statehood would be restored to Jammu & Kashmir after the elections, but nothing was put in writing; assurances were given verbally, even in Parliament and the Supreme Court,” he said.
He said the sequence communicated by the Centre involved delimitation, elections and restoration of statehood. While delimitation and elections had taken place, the restoration of statehood remained pending, he said.
The JK CM also advised leaders in Ladakh, who are currently in talks with the Centre, not to rely solely on verbal assurances and to seek commitments in writing.
“Do not rely on verbal assurances but get it in writing,” he said, referring to J&K’s experience.
On UPI merchant discount rate (MDR) charges, CM Omar Abdullah said the charges would apply to businesses facilitating transactions rather than customers, and that the cost could not be passed on to customers.
He said transactions between individuals would not attract such a charge, while merchant transactions below ₹2,000 would not carry merchant charges under the arrangement he referred to.
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