Omar Abdullah meets Amit Shah, pushes for statehood, says militancy can’t be fought in a vacuum

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said he discussed the restoration of statehood for J&K during a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.

Describing the talks as “cordial,” Omar expressed optimism about a collaborative approach that would benefit the people of J&K. “We spoke about the restoration of statehood and our experience as an elected government over the past two and a half months, including the challenges and successes during this period,” he said after the meeting.

This marks Omar’s second meeting with Shah since taking office as Chief Minister on October 16. The National Conference, led by Omar, has been steadfast in its demand for the restoration of J&K’s statehood and has criticised the “dual power centres” in the region, where significant powers remain with the Lieutenant Governor.

The discussion also touched on the Transaction of Business Rules for J&K—a matter of concern since the reorganisation of the former state into a Union Territory in 2019. Omar stressed that framing these rules is solely the prerogative of the elected government. “The business rules are to be decided by the J&K Cabinet and approved by the Lieutenant Governor. There is no role for the Government of India in this process,” he clarified. A Cabinet sub-committee, he added, would finalise the rules before obtaining clearance from the full Cabinet and forwarding them to L-G Manoj Sinha.

Amid ongoing security challenges in the Union Territory, Omar addressed the role of law enforcement, noting that responsibility for security and law and order currently lies with the Lieutenant Governor. “Militancy cannot be countered in a vacuum,” he emphasised. “To address this effectively, it is crucial to take the people of Jammu and Kashmir into confidence and involve their elected representatives.”

The meeting comes against the backdrop of renewed calls for greater political autonomy in the region and highlights the growing friction between the elected government and the existing power structures.