Omar Abdullah restores Darbar Move amid ongoing hopes for Jammu and Kashmir statehood
Omar Abdullah restores Darbar Move amid ongoing hopes for Jammu and Kashmir statehood
M.U.H
18/10/20259
Chief minister Omar Abdullah announced the full restoration of the historic Darbar Move on the first anniversary of taking office on Thursday, offering a cautious olive branch to the Centre while also avoiding a showdown with the government over the larger goal of restoration of statehood.
Omar, who is routinely criticised by rivals for not being assertive enough with the Centre, appeared not to disappoint them as he urged people not to judge his performance based on one year in office, but after completing his full five-year term.
The National Conference had come to power by setting lofty goals, including the restoration of greater autonomy and Article 370, scrapped in 2019. The party has since been reticent about greater autonomy and rarely mentions Article 370. On Thursday, Omar said he believed restoration of statehood was a solution to all issues of Jammu and Kashmir, but appeared unwilling to put up a fight for that.
“As opposed to (it), what is the alternative to not waiting for statehood?” he said, when asked at a media conference what if the Centre did not fulfil its promise.
The National Conference had come to power by setting lofty goals, including the restoration of greater autonomy and Article 370, scrapped in 2019. The party has since been reticent about greater autonomy and rarely mentions Article 370. On Thursday, Omar said he believed restoration of statehood was a solution to all issues of Jammu and Kashmir, but appeared unwilling to put up a fight for that.
“As opposed to (it), what is the alternative to not waiting for statehood?” he said, when asked at a media conference what if the Centre did not fulfil its promise.
