CM Omar Abdullah hits out at BJP over 'unfulfilled' statehood promise

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday hit out at the BJP-led central government over what he termed as its ''unfulfilled promise'' of restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, and said there was ''no clear answer'' from it on the issue. The chief minister also targeted the BJP over the issue of the implementation of women's reservation in legislatures. ''There is no clear answer about the restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir. They (BJP) say -- 'at the right time'. What does 'the right time' mean? I keep asking them -- tell us clearly. If you say it is your promise, if you have given your word, does your word have no value? ''Should we consider your promises so light that you repeat them everywhere -- in the Supreme Court, in Parliament, in rallies, in elections-- and then step back?'', Abdullah told a public rally in Nowshera border area of Rajouri district. The chief minister urged the Centre to spell out a clear roadmap for restoring statehood. ''Explain to us what this 'right time' is, so that we can work towards it. Just like when we set exams for children -- we tell them what marks are needed to pass, for first division, for distinction. They know what they must achieve. Similarly, tell us what conditions need to be met so we can reach that goal,'' he said. Asserting that his government was delivering on its commitments, Abdullah said, ''We are fulfilling our promises. The promise you made to the people -- where is it? Give us back statehood, because people voted for it -- whether they voted for Congress, National Conference, BJP or any party.'' He said the people had voted with the hope that the perceived injustice against Jammu and Kashmir would be addressed. ''Turning us from a state into a Union Territory felt like a punishment,'' he said. ''Let me ask those (BJP) we contested against, did they not make promises to the people? Where did their promises go?'' Abdullah said. He added, ''Yes, their government was not formed in Jammu and Kashmir, but the central government is theirs. What was their promise? They said -- participate in the election, and after that we will restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.'' The chief minister said the BJP had outlined a three-step process. ''They did not say that if you give power to another party, we will punish you. They said it would happen in three steps: first delimitation, then elections, then statehood,'' he said. ''Delimitation happened -- however it may have happened, it did happen. Then elections were held -- not one, but two in a single year, 2024. First the parliamentary elections, then the assembly elections. They said that as soon as the elections are over, statehood will be restored. Today, one and a half years have passed; we are asking: where is that promise?'' The chief minister also targeted the BJP over the women's reservation. ''We had said in Parliament that we support the bill, but delimitation cannot be done without a census. What was the compulsion? What was hidden behind this bill?'' he said, alleging attempts to push delimitation. Referring to the delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah said, ''Have we forgotten how delimitation happened here? Seven seats were created -- out of those, six were taken by the BJP. Clearly, delimitation was done to consolidate control.'' ''It is another matter that, by the will of the Almighty, their plans did not fully succeed, and people like Surender Chaudhary (currently deputy chief) won, so that such designs could be defeated,'' he said. Abdullah said that his party would continue to raise such issues. ''That is why we keep confronting them, we keep questioning them. And when we do, they are not comfortable -- they are not happy,'' he said.