Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday urged the Centre not to confuse his patience with weakness regarding the restoration of statehood. He sought clarity on the meaning of the “appropriate time” for the move and stressed that patience does not imply silence. Abdullah questioned why the Centre was willing to engage with Ladakh representatives but not with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He called on political parties to back the National Conference’s planned protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on July 20 demanding statehood.
Speaking at a workers’ convention at the mausoleum of his grandparents in Hazratbal on the 26th death anniversary of his grandmother Akbar Jehan, Abdullah highlighted patience as her key lesson. He said patience must be maintained but does not represent weakness or silence. It does not prevent raising voices for rights or allow others to exploit it by viewing the people as weak. This patience, he added, is a source of strength that will lead to success.
Abdullah noted that after more than one and a half years in office, the ruling side was preparing to protest in Delhi, indicating some compulsion had arisen. He said he had risked his political future by choosing dialogue over violence to secure rights. After forming the government, he had wanted to give the Centre time to fulfil promises, yet the situation remained unchanged. He described his party’s election victory as a punishment for the people, questioning why elections were held if the government could not function. Accusing the BJP-led Centre of controlling governance through the Lieutenant Governor, he asked why the administration was brought forward if it could not implement decisions or choose officers.
Abdullah pressed the Centre to define the “appropriate time” and whether it required the BJP to first gain power in the region. He questioned how many more elections would need to be contested before statehood was restored. While supporting local body and panchayat polls, he said the timing would be decided by the Jammu and Kashmir government. He warned that the Centre had mocked patience, decency and silence.
On talks with Ladakh, Abdullah said a message was being sent that protests were necessary to achieve results. He contrasted this with the argument used to revoke Article 370 for uniform application of the Constitution, noting that special concessions were now being offered to Ladakh. He criticised the disparity, stating that while Ladakh could decide on its chief secretary, Jammu and Kashmir could not even select its officers.
