Opposition Sees Cabinet Resolution On Statehood As J&K Govt's Backtracking

The Peoples Democratic Party and the Peoples Conference questioned the move and saw it as a change in the National Conference-led government's stand.

Srinagar:The newly elected government led by Omar Abdullah appears to have landed in trouble after passing a resolution in the cabinet for restoration of statehood. On October 17, the cabinet led by Omar Abdullah in its inaugural meeting at the civil secretariat in Srinagar, the high seat of governance, passed a resolution demanding statehood.

But there is no official word over it yet with many questioning the 'secrecy.' But a source told ETV Bharat that the details about the meeting will be divulged to the public later today.

It was learnt that a resolution will be presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by chief minister Omar Abdullah for regaining the statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. But the Opposition sees the move as ruling National Conference's backtracking from the promise of restoration of Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and was annulled in August 2019.

The Peoples Democratic Party and the Peoples Conference led by Sajad Lone have questioned the move and saw it as a change in the stand of the National Conference led government.

In the election manifesto, the ruling party had promised restoration of statehood and striving for Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Besides, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah before the polls had announced to pass the resolution against revocation of Article 370 in the first sitting of J&K legislative assembly.

While the maiden session is yet to be announced the PDP leader Waheed Para has started doubting the government after the cabinet resolution. Says Peoples Democratic Party leader and legislator Waheed Para, “Omar Abdullah's first resolution on statehood is nothing less than ratification of the August 5th, 2019 decision.”

“No resolution on Article 370 and scaling down the demand to mere statehood is a huge setback, especially after seeking votes on the promise of restoring Article 370,” he tweeted on X. Likewise, Lone questioned the secrecy surrounding the resolution saying, “in wonderment why should a resolution on statehood passed by the cabinet be shrouded in mystery and secrecy.”

“I hope the CS of J and K has notified it as is the protocol. And I very humbly state that the will of the people of J&K is reflected in the Assembly and not in the cabinet.”
“Cabinet is a majoritarian institution of governance. It does not reflect all shades and opinions as per the will of the people of J and K.”
All across the country, to the best of my knowledge, Assembly is the proper institution for addressing major issues like that of statehood or Article 370. When the NC Government passed a resolution on autonomy they passed it in the Assembly not through a cabinet resolution. What has changed now."

"Fail to understand why this resolution should not have been reserved for the Assembly. Why are we so keen to trivialise everything," Lone wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Would have loved to see which way BJP and other parties vote on statehood and on Article 370 resolution when it is presented in the Assembly,” while listing NC’s stand on Article 370 and statehood in its manifesto.

But a National Conference leader pleading anonymity questioned the Opposition’s backtracking charge saying the legislative assembly is yet to convene its maiden session. “The cabinet and legislative assembly are not the same. We have clearly announced we will pass the resolution in the legislative assembly and let the opposition not jump the gun and wait,” he added.