Omar Abdullah Blasts Centre Over J&K Statehood Delay, Cites Eroding Trust

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has publicly slammed the Central Government over the persistent delay in restoring statehood to the region, seven years after Article 370 was revoked. He warned that this continued postponement is severely hurting his own political standing and fueling widespread public anger, likening the Centre's 'appropriate time' stance to a constantly shifting finish line. Abdullah also strongly rejected the argument that statehood can only return after terrorism is fully stopped, pointing out that his elected government has no actual control over security forces there. The Centre had promised to restore statehood to J&K, even before the Supreme Court in 2023 upheld the abrogation of Article 370 but urged early statehood. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself had termed it a 'Modi Ka Wada', a personal promise, which now faces accountability questions as elections have been held and a Chief Minister is in place, yet the promise remains unfulfilled. The current Union Territory setup, established by the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, has been called an 'abomination' by Abdullah due to its administrative limitations, where key decisions remain with the Lieutenant Governor, sidelining the elected government. With public disappointment growing and human rights forums also calling for immediate statehood, the pressure is mounting on the Central Government to provide a clear timeline, especially after the Supreme Court in October 2025 gave the Centre six weeks to respond to pleas on the matter. Omar Abdullah and his National Conference party have pledged to continue their fight for statehood through political dialogue and even street protests. The coming months will show if the Centre finally moves to honour its long-standing commitment and addresses the democratic deficit in the sensitive region.