LG clears statehood resolution, CM Omar Abdullah vows to get back what was ‘snatched’ | India News
SRINAGAR/JAMMU: J&Klieutenant-governor Manoj Sinha has cleared a resolution of CM Omar Abdullah’s cabinet urging the Centre to restore the statehood to the Union territory, officials said Saturday. The resolution was approved by Omar’s govt late Thursday, a day after he was sworn in.
On Saturday, Omar told workers of his National Conference (NC) in Jammu that his administration would get back what was “snatched” but did not mention whether that will include J&K’s special status under Article 370 and related provisions abrogated by the Centre in 2019.Omar’s rivals had highlighted the silence on special status, calling the resolution an abject surrender and a departure from NC’s poll promises.
According to an official spokesperson, restoration of statehood will be the beginning of a “healing” process by the newly elected govt, reclaiming constitutional rights and protecting the identity of J&K people. Omar will travel to New Delhi soon to speak to PM Narendra Modi on the issue, the official said.
The cabinet has also decided to convene the assembly in Srinagar on Nov 4, the spokesperson said, adding a draft of the LG’s speech to mark the first session of the House is now being discussed by the Omar-led ministry.
On Saturday, LG Sinha appointed NC’s Mubarak Gul as Protem Speaker — till the Speaker is elected — following a recommendation from the Omar-led govt. The Protem Speaker will administer the oath to the new MLAs on Oct 21.
Visiting Jammu for the first time after he became chief minister, Omar told the NC workers “not to lose heart” as J&K could not remain a Union territory (UT) for long. “There is no need to get annoyed or disappointed. We will get back our rights. We will fight and get back all that was snatched and taken from us,” Omar said.
The CM also asserted that his govt would be for everyone. “When the election results were out, some people started spreading rumours that Jammu will be punished because they have not voted for NC-Congress coalition candidates. But I made it clear on day one that this govt will be for all, irrespective of whether anyone had voted for it or not,” the chief minister told a packed gathering at the NC headquarters in Jammu.
Omar sought to highlight his move to appoint Surinder Choudhary, the NC MLA from Jammu’s Nowshera, as deputy CM. “NC was under no compulsion to appoint a deputy CM like previous coalition govts to give representation to both regions. It was a reply to those who had during electioneering branded NC a party of Muslims and a Kashmir-based dynastic party that cannot tolerate leaders from Jammu. Now we have a deputy CM who is a Hindu and has nothing to do with my family,” Omar said to loud cheers from the gathering.
Omar’s NC won 42 of the 90 assembly seats, while allies Congress and CPM won six and one, respectively. The CM also thanked five Independent MLAs supporting him. Five members in the assembly will be nominated by the LG.
