‘Nothing Will Happen…’: Omar Abdullah Downplays Speculation Over Jammu-Kashmir’s Statehood
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday played down the ongoing speculation regarding the union territory regaining statehood anytime soon, stating that nothing is likely to take place in the coming days. However, he expressed “hope” about a “positive development” for the union territory during the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament.
In a cryptic message shared on X, the Chief Minister stated, “I’ve come across every possible theory and guesswork about what might happen in J&K tomorrow, so I’ll go ahead and say nothing will happen tomorrow – thankfully nothing negative will occur, but regrettably, nothing positive either. I still remain hopeful about something good for J&K in this monsoon session of Parliament, but not tomorrow.”
He also dismissed reports suggesting that he had met or held discussions with the Central Government in Delhi, clarifying that he was merely sharing his “gut instinct” regarding what to anticipate.
“And no, I haven’t had any meetings or conversations with people in Delhi. This is just a gut feeling. Let’s see this time tomorrow,” he added.
Abdullah’s cryptic message comes amid heightened chatter over the possible return of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Speculation grew after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently held separate meetings with President Droupadi Murmu.
However, no official details about those meetings have been made public.
What Happened on August 5, 2019?
On August 5, 2019, the Central Government annulled the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and withdrew the autonomy granted to the region under Article 370 of the Constitution. In addition, the former state was reorganised into two union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Five years after the revocation of Article 370, the Election Commission of India held assembly elections in the former state in 2024, following directions from the Supreme Court. The alliance between the National Conference and the Congress secured a majority, and Omar Abdullah took oath as the Chief Minister.
