'It's not about Kashmir, it's about Kashmiris': Omar Abdullah tells Modi Govt days after statehood protests in Ladakh

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday urged the Union Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to put people at the centre of its policy, especially with regard to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh – the region marred by conflict in recent years.

Omar accused the Centre of betraying people of the two Union Territories – Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir – by failing to fulfil its promises and deepening mistrust through delays in restoring statehood. The Chief Minister was refering to ‘delay’ in granting statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and recent arrest of activist Sonam Wangchuk's over protetsts over statehood demand in Ladakh.

“You want to own the people, own the people. Then it's not about the land, it's about people. It's not about Kashmir, it's about Kashmiris. It is about people of Jammu and Kashmir. If you make that small difference in the nomenclature, it's going to make huge difference on the ground,” Abdullah said speaking at a book launch in Delhi on Sunday.

Abdullah's comments came days after climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was detained under the provisions of the National Security Act (NSA) over the recent protests in Leh, where a large section of people have been demanding statehood for Ladakh.

Four people died in the protests while many others were injured.

Abdullah, along with former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh were in the national capital to launch veteran journalist Harinder Baweja’s memoir ‘They Will Shoot You, Madam: My life through conflict.’ Omar's father Farooq Abdullah and Congress leader Manish Tewari were also in the audience.

‘Wasn’t even promised statehood’

After the violent protests in Ladakh earlier this week, Abdullah had pointed out that Ladakh Union Territory “wasn’t even promised statehood” and celebrated the status of Union Territory in 2019 after the abrogation of Article 370, yet they feel “betrayed and angry” today.

The erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised into the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmirand Ladakh following the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.

“Now even Ladakhis are not ours,” Omar Abdullah said sarcastically in response to a question from moderator Rajdeep Sardesai at the book launch on Sunday evening.

'But look at the people of Ladakh. What we are doing to them'

While Jammu and Kashmir was promised a statehood by the Union government, there was no such promise for Ladakh. However, the Centre promised. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk led a hunger strike starting around 10 September, demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule protections. Violence broke out during a bandh call in Leh on September 24.

‘Then you wonder why there is the trust defecit’

“I mean we (Kashmiris) are purani paapi. But look at the people of Ladakh. What we are doing to them. A genteleman (Sonam) who, until yesterday was, I mean doodh ka dhula hua. When he praises the prime minister, no bodu found fault within him… he praised the prime minister profusely for 2019 for fulfilling the dreams if Ladakhis for giving them a Union Territory status. Today, suddenly we found a Pakistani connection… where…in two days. Two days ago there was no Pakistani connection and now there is one. And then you wonder why there is the trust defecit,” Omar said at the launch.

The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister was refering to SD Singh Jamwal, Director General of Police (DGP) of Ladakh giving out a statement that Sonam Wangchuk was currenty being probed for allegedly having links with Pakistan following last month's arrest of a Pakistani Intelligence Operative who sent videos of his protests across the border.

"When you wanted them (Ladakh) to participate in Hill Council elections, you promised them the Sixth Schedule. Everyone knew that giving the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh was nearly impossible. A region that shares frontiers with China on one side and Pakistan on the other requires a sizeable defence presence, which the Sixth Schedule makes impossible. Yet, you made promises to get electoral participation,” Omar explained.

‘Govt failed to honour its own commitments’

Omar also accused the Union government of failing to honour its own commitments. “You told us it was a three-stage process – first delimitation, then elections, and finally statehood. The first two have been completed, but the third has gone nowhere. And then you wonder why there is a trust deficit,” he said.

He cautioned that the trust deficit was eroding public faith, despite the unprecedented participation of Jammu and Kashmir residents in recent polls -- both the Parliament and Assembly. The Chief Minister pointed to the recent Supreme Court remarks on statehood, where petitioners urging the Centre to fulfil its promise of restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s status were told to consider “ground realities” such as the Pahalgam terror attack.

Omar said it was “deeply distressing” that the matter seemed to be tied to events across the border, asking, “Does Pakistan now decide whether J&K should have statehood?”

"Because every time we come close to statehood, something like Pahalgam will happen and again, we will be sent back," he said, asserting that statehood cannot be used as a “carrot” for good behaviour.

(With agency inputs)