'If not in Delhi, then where?': Omar Abdullah announces statehood protest on 20 July

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday announced a fresh phase of protests against the Centre from 20 July over the “unexplained delay” in restoring statehood to the Union Territory.

Addressing a public rally in Jammu, Abdullah said the National Conference (NC) had waited for nearly two years after the Assembly election in the hope that the Centre would fulfil its promise to restore statehood.

“We have given the Central government enough time. For nearly two years, we pursued talks for the restoration of statehood. Now we will adopt a new strategy,” Abdullah said.

Questioning the Centre's repeated assertion that statehood would be restored at an “appropriate time”, the chief minister asked what constituted such a time and whether it meant the BJP coming to power in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The BJP leaders are making statements against NC's Jantar Mantar protest and saying that we will not get the statehood by doing this protest...If not in Delhi, then where?” he asked.

“If decisions concerning a part of our own country cannot be taken in our own national capital, where are they supposed to be taken?” he added.

Abdullah accused the BJP of consistently undermining the NC's efforts to demand statehood, whether through protests in Jammu and Kashmir, in the Assembly or in the national capital.

“So what do they expect us to do? Should we go to America and protest outside the White House to seek Jammu and Kashmir's statehood? We are only asking for a promise made in our own country to be honoured in our own country's capital,” he said.

The NC leader accused the BJP of using the issue of statehood as a political instrument rather than fulfilling what he described as a constitutional commitment.

“If it is Modi's promise made on the soil of Katra, then it should be honoured,” Abdullah said, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise to restore statehood.

He also cited the Supreme Court's call for the restoration of statehood “as soon as possible” after the completion of the electoral process.

“Those are not my words; they are the words of the Supreme Court,” he said.

Abdullah alleged that the Centre was punishing the people of Jammu and Kashmir by continuing to withhold statehood.

“The people of Jammu stood with the nation whenever the country faced challenges. Border districts bore the brunt of shelling, and Jammu opened its doors to those displaced by militancy. What crime have the people committed that they continue to be denied statehood?” he asked.

Invoking Mahatma Gandhi, Abdullah said that during the violence following Partition, Gandhi had described Jammu and Kashmir as a symbol of communal harmony.

He questioned whether the region was now being penalised for upholding the ideals of Hindu-Muslim-Sikh unity.

Abdullah said the NC would continue its campaign through democratic and peaceful means until Jammu and Kashmir regained full statehood.

“We will continue knocking on the doors of our own nation's capital. We will continue reminding the country's leadership of the promises made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. We only ask that those promises be honoured,” he said.

The chief minister, who reached Jammu by road, said he had left Srinagar at 6 am to seek the people's support for the protest in Delhi.

“We were forced to come on the roads after the talks failed. The July 20 protest will be the start of our agitation in support of the demand,” Abdullah said, as the crowd raised their hands in support.