CM Omar meets PM Modi with J&K statehood resolution after getting assurance from Home Minister

Srinagar: A week after taking over as chief minister, Omar Abdullah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday evening with a cabinet resolution to restore the state, a source said. At the inaugural cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister, accompanied by five ministers, adopted the resolution to restore the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir and authorized him to present it to the Prime Minister and ministers of the Union.

The meeting with Prime Minister Modi follows his crucial meeting a day ago with Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, who assured him of possible support to regain statehood. After being sworn in as Jammu and Kashmir chief minister last week, this was Abdullah's first contact with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government.

A source told ETV Bharat that Omar had a half-hour meeting with the Home Minister at his residence in New Delhi on Wednesday evening. The interview took place in a cordial atmosphere, the source said. The Chief Minister was assured of all possible support for the restoration of the state. Besides, he also enjoyed support on other crucial issues of Jammu and Kashmir, the source added. The chief minister presented a cabinet resolution on state restoration to the home minister, the source added.

Earlier in the day, Abdullah on Thursday met chief Union ministers, including Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari. The Chief Minister presented them with handmade Kashmiri shawls. The ruling National Conference said “many crucial issues related to J&K” were discussed in Wednesday's meeting between Abdullah and Amit Shah.

“Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi. Many crucial issues related to J&K were discussed,” JKNC wrote in a message on his official X account.

In Srinagar, NC chief spokesperson and newly-elected lawmaker Tanvir Sadiq confirmed to ETV Bharat that the meeting discussed restoration of statehood, among other issues.

About CM Omar Abdullah's meeting with different ministers and of course with the Prime Minister, the meeting not only involves restoration of the state but also many other crucial issues that concern Jammu and Kashmir, a- he declared.

Asked about progress on statehood, Sadiq, who is also a close aide of Abdullah, said: “Let's wait and watch. Let him meet the Prime Minister and other ministers. It passed a resolution (on restoration of statehood) which the cabinet adopted (in Delhi), he added.

The fact is that J&K was a prosperous state before 2019 and we want all development to come through people's rule and that is the beauty of democracy. The people choose their elected representatives and this is how the government is formed.

According to him, the National Conference-led government should be given the opportunity to serve the people and there should be no hindrance from any quarter.

Restoration of the state is a key issue for the Abdullah-led government after the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was decommissioned and divided into two Union Territories in August 2019.

As the Prime Minister was returning to Delhi from Russia's Kazan after attending the BRICS summit on Thursday, Abdullah met him in the evening. He gave her a Kashmiri shawl.

A source said he would present the cabinet resolution on statehood to Prime Minister Modi and take up other issues regarding Jammu and Kashmir. This will be the chief minister's first formal meeting with the Prime Minister after five years since August 2019. Abdullah, alongside his father and former MPs Farooq Abdullah and Hasnain Masoodi, met the Prime Minister days before the repeal of article 370.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had promised restoration of statehood without setting a deadline. Interestingly, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea to restore the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir. The application was filed by academicians Zahoor Ahmad and Khurshid Malik.

In Jammu, BJP leader Ravinder Raina said the central and state governments should discuss restoration of the state together as it is a sensitive issue. Personal safety is very important. The government will be in power and development will only take place if there is peace and prosperity here; if there is terrorism and extremism, people will suffer. With great efforts, Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah have improved the situation here. Therefore, no policy or decision should be taken in haste.

Learn more: Amit Shah assures all possible support to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for restoration of J&K statehood