CM Omar Abdullah's fresh statement on restoration of J&K's statehood: 'Two months since…'

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said his government has started implementing some election promises and will work towards fulfilling others that require changes in the system.

“It has been two months since we came into power, and it took some time to understand how this new system works in Jammu and Kashmir as a Union Territory. There is a vast difference between our previous government and this one. I thought working in such circumstances would be difficult, but our start has been quite good,” said Omar Abdullah while addressing a press conference in Srinagar.

Abdullah expressed hope that the region's status as a Union Territory would be temporary. He stressed the need for the people of Jammu and Kashmir to receive something in return for their active participation in elections.

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“One of the major promises made to the people by the central government is the restoration of statehood. We hope this does not take much longer,” Omar Abdullah added.

Taking a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah said, “Even if we accept that the status of Jammu and Kashmir has been permanently resolved, the fact remains that a part of Jammu and Kashmir lies on the other side of the border. When the BJP claims the Kashmir issue is resolved, does it mean they believe the issue on the other side of the border is also resolved? Clearly, it hasn't. The Kashmir issue still exists, whether on this side of the border or the other, and that is something we can discuss.”

The chief minister also mentioned that from his experiences, he has learned and paid the price of not having frequent interactions with the media. He will continue to have freewheeling interactions twice a year, without an agenda.