AFTER 19 months in office and amid growing discontent over the delay in the restoration of statehood, the ruling National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir is now taking its demand to Delhi.
Since the elected National Conference government assumed office in 2024, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and senior party leaders have repeatedly pressed for the restoration of statehood. The Central Government, however, has maintained that statehood would be restored at an “appropriate time”.
Abdullah, who has met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi several times since assuming power, has consistently raised the issue of statehood restoration.
A senior National Conference leader told The Tribune that there is consensus among legislators and party leaders that the delay in restoring statehood, coupled with the dual nature of governance in Jammu and Kashmir, is preventing the government from taking major decisions.
“We have been waiting for long and avoiding any protest regarding statehood restoration. But as Delhi is not ready to listen to us, and the restoration is taking too much time, we have decided to take the issue to Delhi and stage a protest to secure what we are being denied,” the leader said.
Following a key meeting on Wednesday in Srinagar, attended by JKNC legislators, Members of Parliament and alliance partners under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, it was unanimously resolved that the party will hold a protest in New Delhi on the opening day of Parliament’s monsoon session to demand the immediate restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and constitutional guarantees.
Another National Conference leader said on Thursday that the party will now take all necessary steps to ensure statehood is granted to Jammu and Kashmir, along with the constitutional guarantees “snatched” in 2019. He added that the Central Government should heed the voices from Kashmir and urgently restore statehood.
The NC’s move to protest in Delhi comes just two days after Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti reached out to political, social, and community leaders across Jammu and Kashmir, urging a united effort to seek renewed dialogue with the Centre on issues concerning the Union Territory. Referring to the recent engagement between the Centre and Ladakh-based groups, she said the breakthroughs achieved by the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance offered an important lesson—that only dialogue can deliver meaningful outcomes.
