Resolution seeking statehood to be passed in first Cabinet meet: Omar Abdullah

National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the NC-Congress government will pass a resolution demanding the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood in its first Cabinet meeting.

“Whichever chief minister is sworn-in in the next few days, obviously there will be two sets of priorities—one is legislative, which will be determined by the members of the legislative Assembly when the session is called. But the other is government-related,” he told reporters in Srinagar.

He suggested that the “first business of the Cabinet should be to pass a resolution asking for statehood to be restored to Jammu and Kashmir and the CM should travel to Delhi with that resolution, call on the senior leadership of the country.”

“…and ask them to fulfil their promise because it is honourable Prime Minister, Home Minister and others who have promised the people of Jammu and Kashmir statehood. Nowhere did they say the statehood will be given only to the BJP government or any government which has BJP members,” he said.

Omar said the legislative party meeting of National Conference will be held on Thursday. “First and foremost, wait for the Legislative Party Meeting which will take place tomorrow (Thursday). Subsequent to the legislative meeting, there will be the alliance meeting, which will determine its leader,” he said.

He stated that the leader of alliance will then, take letters of support, “go to the Raj Bhawan, stake the claim and request the L-G to fix a date for the swearing-in.”

“But, I would like that to happen as soon as possible because we have been without an elected government since 2018. Time has come that we get back to work,” Abdullah said.

Asked about NC president Farooq Abdullah naming him as the chief minister, Omar said he was “very grateful for the confidence that he (Farooq Abdullah) has reposed in me.”

“But that decision is for the legislators to make. It is a decision of the alliance to make. I love my father dearly and I am very grateful for the support that he showed me yesterday but finally the say has to be of the legislators and I am always one to do things by the rules and by the book,” he said. “This is the procedure that has to be followed and that is what will be done.”

Favours healthy relations with Centre

Asked if he was willing to work with the Centre and the Raj Bhavan, Omar said, “A hostile relationship is not in the interests of the people of J&K. I believe it's not in the interests of the Centre either.” “…once the government is formed, I’d like to believe that the CM will visit Delhi, talk to the Prime Minister and others, and establish a good working relationship,” he told a news channel late Tuesday night.

‘Foolish to seek Art 370 restoration from BJP’

Omar Abdullah said hoping for the restoration of Article 370 from the very people who snatched it would be “foolish”, but his party would keep the issue alive and continue to raise it. “Our political stand will not change. We have never said that we will remain silent on Article 370 or that it is not an issue for us now,” he said. “We will continue to talk on this and hope that tomorrow there will be a change of government in the country, there will be a new setup with whom we can discuss this and get something for J&K,” Abdullah added.