Omar Abdullah Accuses Centre of Betraying J-K, Ladakh on Statehood Promises

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah sharply criticised the central government on Sunday for failing to honour commitments on restoring statehood to the region and granting Sixth Schedule protections to Ladakh, accusing it of fostering a deepening trust deficit through delays and unfulfilled assurances. Speaking at the launch of journalist Harinder Baweja's memoir "They Will Shoot You, Madam: My Life Through Conflict" in New Delhi, Abdullah highlighted how the Centre's actions have eroded public faith, despite high voter turnout in recent J&K elections. The event, moderated by former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, drew attention to the ongoing political tensions in the former state, bifurcated into two Union Territories in 2019 following the abrogation of Article 370.

Abdullah lambasted the government for misleading Ladakhis with "impossible" promises to secure participation in Hill Council elections, particularly the pledge of Sixth Schedule status—a constitutional provision for tribal autonomy that conflicts with the region's strategic defence needs along borders with China and Pakistan. "When you wanted them to participate, you promised the Sixth Schedule. Everyone knew it was nearly impossible... Yet, you made promises to get electoral participation," he said. The remarks come amid escalating unrest in Ladakh, where protests demanding statehood and safeguards turned violent on September 24, resulting in four deaths and dozens injured in Leh. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, a key protest leader who recently ended a 14-day hunger strike, was detained under the National Security Act on September 26 and transferred to Jodhpur jail. Abdullah questioned the sudden vilification of Wangchuk, once praised by the Prime Minister for environmental advocacy post-2019 bifurcation:"A gentleman who was thanking the PM profusely... Today, suddenly, we find a Pakistani connection. Where did it come from?"

Turning to J&K, Abdullah reiterated that the Centre outlined a three-stage roadmap—delimitation, elections, and statehood—yet stalled on the final step despite completing the first two. "You wonder why there is a trust deficit," he remarked, noting the Supreme Court's December 2023 ruling upholding Article 370's abrogation while directing "expeditious" statehood restoration and assembly polls by September 2024. Recent hearings in August saw the court urge petitioners to consider "ground realities", referencing the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, mostly Hindu tourists, in Anantnag district. Blamed on The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot, the assault triggered Operation Sindoor—airstrikes on Pakistani terror camps—and a brief India-Pakistan military standoff, ending in a May 10 ceasefire. Abdullah called it "deeply distressing" that statehood is now linked to cross-border events:"Does Pakistan decide whether J-K should have statehood? Every time we come close, something like Pahalgam happens."

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Abdullah emphasised that the core issue transcends geography—it's about empowering "Kashmiris", the people, who seek genuine ownership and respect. He pointed to unprecedented electoral participation in 2024 parliamentary and assembly polls as evidence of their desire for democratic engagement, urging the Centre to view statehood not as a "carrot" for compliance but as a constitutional right. The book launch, published by Roli Books, chronicles Baweja's experiences in conflict zones from Punjab's militancy to J&K's volatility, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, amplifying voices from the margins. As Ladakh remains under curfew and J&K navigates post-election governance under the National Conference-Congress alliance, Abdullah's words underscore the fragile balance between integration and autonomy in India's sensitive border regions.

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