Omar Abdullah Urges Restoration of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Wednesday urged the Centre to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir before assembly elections, criticizing the union territory’s failure on multiple fronts, including combating terrorism.

Addressing reporters, Abdullah said, "We hope that statehood is restored to Jammu and Kashmir before the elections because the UT has failed in every aspect, including development and security."

Commenting on a recent notification that vested several powers with the LG, Abdullah voiced concerns about the limited power of the people in a union territory, despite assurances from the Prime Minister and Home Minister that statehood would soon be restored.

Abdullah also highlighted ongoing militancy issues in the Jammu region, noting that multiple attacks have occurred in the past year, resulting in the deaths of security personnel. He criticized the government's claims of militancy being under control, calling for concrete steps to address security concerns.

He further criticized the Director General of Police, R R Swain, for making political statements, advising him to focus on combating militancy. Abdullah also censured the administration for arresting Shia mourners, questioning the targeting of Muslims.

(With inputs from agencies.)