I Was CM Of A State, Now Of A UT; This Must Be Corrected Soon: Omar Abdullah

SRINAGAR/KATRA: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday expressed optimism about Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood being restored sooner than later.

Terming the Centre’s splitting the erstwhile state of J&K into two Union territories in August 2019 as “demotion”, Abdullah said, “I was the Chief Minister of a state. Now I’m the Chief Minister of a Union Territory. But I firmly believe that this will be corrected very soon — and it will be under your leadership and with your support, Mr. Prime Minister, that Jammu and Kashmir will once again regain the status of a full-fledged state.” The Chief Minister was speaking at a rally in the presence of the Prime Minister at Katra.

Pointing to J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha who was also present, Abdullah sought to draw a comparison between their political journeys. “If you look at Mr. Manoj Sinha’s journey — due to the blessings of the deity (Mata Vaishno Devi) - he got a promotion. As for me, I experienced a slight demotion,” he said. The Chief Minister’s remark evoked laughter from the audience and smiles on the faces of those on the dais.

The Chief Minister recounted his long association with major railway events in J&K and said, “Call it fate or destiny, but whenever there has been a major railway event, I have been fortunate enough to be associated with it — whether it was the inauguration of the Anantnag railway station or the opening of the Banihal rail tunnel.”

Recalling Prime Minister Modi’s first visit to Katra after assuming office in 2014, the Chief Minister said that the current moment carried a sense of déjàvu. “It is a coincidence that there were four people present at that event in 2014 — and today, all four are once again sitting with you on this stage,” he said.

Talking about the Jammu–Baramulla rail link, he said, “This project was initiated in 1983–84. I told the media jokingly the other day that when this project began, I was in the eighth grade. Today, I’m 55, my children are college graduates, and finally, this project is complete.”

He termed the rail link to the Kashmir Valley as a “historic accomplishment,” stating that it will boost tourism, trade and bring comfort in the daily lives of people of J&K. “The benefits to J&K will be substantial. Tourism will receive a major boost, and the daily lives of our residents will improve,” the Chief Minister said, adding, “With this railway line operational, that hardship will be alleviated to a great extent, offering affordable and reliable transportation.”

Lauding Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, the Chief Minister said that the successful completion of this critical infrastructure project stands as a testament to the Centre’s commitment to the development of J&K. “Under PM Modi’s stewardship, yet another critical infrastructure project in J&K has been completed. We are also witnessing rapid progress on other vital initiatives — the Jammu Ring Road, the Srinagar Ring Road, the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, the four-laning of the Jammu-Srinagar Highway, and the expansion of both the Jammu and Srinagar airports and the railway network,” he said.