JK News Today Analysis
Home Minister Amit Shah has ended all the speculations on the time and definition of “ appropriate time” for the restoration of statehood to J&K , with assertion that it will be decided in consultations with the Omar Abdullah government set up after historic and free and fair Assembly elections last year.
This way, Home Minister has brought the National Conference government of Omar Abdullah into picture regarding the grant of the statehood and its timings. This statement lays emphasis on dialogue on the issue which has gained critical importance and also has few concerns on the two sides.
This apparent shift since the time this promise was made on the floor of Lok Sabha on August 6, 2019 , a day after the process of abrogation of Article 370 was initiated , can be read in twin contexts – to honour the verdict of the people of Jammu and Kashmir who gave majority to the National Conference , secondly the Centre wants its concerns regarding the sensitive territory bordering hostile neighbour Pakistan to be taken care of . Whether J&K remains a UT or gets the statehood back, these issues will always be there.
It’s not just the matter of perceptions but striking realities. Many things have changed in Jammu and Kashmir in the past 11 years of the Modi government – Article 370, Article 35 A and the statehood of J&K was done away with. , and with that terrorism is on ropes. The people have gained confidence in the situation, and they are in love with the normal situation that has dawned on them after a gap of nearly three and a half decades. This is a rare moment for J&K that over 35 years had seen violence and bloodshed only.
Home Minister did admit in his conversation with ABP news channel that there were three major acts of terror in J&K since 2016- Uri attack in September 2016, Pulwama terror incident on February 14, 2019, in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, and Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, but also reminded that all of these were responded with lethality across the LoC- in POK, and Pakistan. India is changed and it believes in retaliation and teaching enemy a lesson.
On balance , the result is that Pakistan sponsored terrorism is more or less over , the youth who used to get attracted or trapped in the gun culture and terrorism , have come out of that snare .They have found new opportunities for them . That is the biggest victory of Modi government’s policies, in adopting the youth who are encouraged by the improved situation and return of vibrant democracy.
In the recent days, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in his back-to-back press conferences and elsewhere has raised pitch on the issue. He is unhappy that even after one year of the Assembly elections, statehood is elusive. That, he said, has adversely affected the governance and left the UT government disempowered, as the denial of the statehood has made the government’s delivery system harder and more difficult.
He has a point, but at the same time Centre is better aware of the situation and it has to look at all pros and cons before deciding on such a crucial matter. With today’s statement, Amit Shah has heightened hopes that decision and timings of the decision will be determined through consultations.
