Statehood talks still alive, not shelved: CM

Gulmarg, May 28: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said that the demand for the restoration of Statehood has not been shelved, but alive.
Rejecting any notion of strained ties with the Centre, Omar remarked “You would only need a thaw if there was a freeze. I never said there was a freeze. I’m simply saying we need to intensify cooperation moving forward.”
He added that his administration has already highlighted the demand for restoration of statehood in official forums, including a formal submission during the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting.
Omar made it clear that while he refrained from using the special session of the Assembly to raise the issue of statehood, the dialogue on the matter is very much alive. “The conversation hasn’t stopped. It is ongoing — and we remain committed,” he said.
On the recent terror attack, CM said that for the first time, the people of Kashmir themselves came forward to condemn a terror attack without waiting for political or religious leaders to lead the response.
Referring to the April 22 Pahalgam incidents, Omar noted that this public outcry marks a clear departure from the past. “No politician, no religious leader can take credit for this. The people condemned it on their own,” he said, highlighting a significant shift in public sentiment, CM said while acknowledging that the revival of tourism will take time. (KNO)