Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has urged the restoration of security responsibilities to the elected government in the Union Territory. During his visit to Gujarat, Abdullah said it was unfair for elected representatives to be denied full authority, including control over law and order.
Speaking at a press conference at the Hyatt Hotel in Ahmedabad after attending the Travel Expo in Gandhinagar, he criticised the continued Union Territory status of Jammu and Kashmir. “We are not insignificant people,” Abdullah said. “If the public has elected us to govern, then we must be given full responsibilities.”
Omar Abdullah’s remarks came just days after he skipped a high-level security review meeting chaired by the Union Home Minister in Delhi. When asked about his absence, he said, “Security matters fall under the jurisdiction of the Lieutenant Governor. That’s the reality. Nevertheless, I stay informed about deployments and the measures being taken. We are reopening tourist sites gradually and cautiously.”
According to the Kashmir News Trust, Abdullah also expressed frustration over the delay in restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. “We are the only unfortunate people in the country whose state was downgraded to a Union Territory. Elsewhere, Union Territories are being granted statehood, but we are still waiting,” he said.
Reflecting on his tenure as Chief Minister from 2009 to 2015, Abdullah noted that his government had significantly improved the security situation. “Militancy-related incidents and casualties among security forces had declined. If we are given full responsibility again, we will make Kashmir even safer,” he asserted. (Media reports)
