In Party's 1st Rally In A Year, Omar Abdullah Brings Up Special Status

It was a long-awaited public rally by Omar Abdullah in Jammu and Kashmir, the first after he took over as Chief Minister a year ago. As he addressed a large crowd in Handwara, he raked up restoration of special status under Article 370 of the Constitution, which was scrapped by the Centre in August 2019.

On restoration of special status and constitutional guarantees, Abdullah asked his party's newly elected Rajya Sabha MPs to forcefully raise the issue in parliament since the assembly had already passed a resolution on restoration of special status last year.

Abdullah had in recent times restricted himself to restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and often avoided speaking about Article 370.

In all his previous speeches after taking over as Chief Minister in October last year, he has only reiterated a demand for statehood, and at times expressed frustration over delay in restoration of statehood despite promises made by the central government, including assurance by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

As hundreds gather at Handwara in north Kashmir to celebrate the victory of Chowdhry Mohammad Ramzan, who was recently elected as Rajya Sabha MP, it was also the first show of strength by the ruling National Conference since it won a landslide victory in the 2024 assembly elections.

Of four Rajya Sabha seats from Jammu and Kashmir, the National Conference won three seats and the BJP one. Abdullah said the NC has sent strong voices to parliament to represent the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

"We have sent representatives to parliament who will fight for our rights, who will remind the central government about the situation and the promises we have made to the people," Abdullah said.

He said the newly elected MPs will have to speak about the assembly resolution on special status.

"They must remind the Centre that in November last year, the assembly passed a resolution demanding restoration of special status and our constitutional guarantees. That's what they must talk about in parliament," he said.

Over the last one year, NC has not held any major public rally, and the chief minister has largely restricted himself to official functions instead of public spaces.

Some of the major events Abdullah addressed during this period was only when he accompanied PM Modi, and addressed officially organised public gatherings.