SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday to discuss key issues related to Jammu and Kashmir, including the restoration of its statehood.
The half-hour meeting was described by Omar as a courtesy call, during which he briefed Shah on the current situation in J&K and highlighted the need for the return of statehood.
Omar’s visit follows a deadly terrorist attack in Gagangir, Ganderbal, where seven people, including a local doctor and six migrant workers, were killed just days earlier.
During his stay in Delhi, Omar is expected to meet other top leaders, including a likely discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He plans to present the resolution passed by his Cabinet, which calls for the restoration of J&K’s statehood, and to discuss the challenges facing the region.
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The resolution, approved by the Omar-led Cabinet last week and later cleared by Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha, stresses that restoring statehood is a crucial step toward healing and protecting the constitutional rights and identity of J&K’s people.
A government statement emphasized that safeguarding Jammu and Kashmir’s distinct identity and ensuring constitutional rights remains the new administration’s priority.
However, various political groups, including the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Conference (PC), and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), criticized the move. They accused the National Conference (NC) of straying from its pre-election promise to restore Articles 370, 35-A, and statehood as it existed before August 5, 2019.