CM Omar Abdullah says ready to
Gulmarg (Jammu and Kashmir) [India] June 24 (ANI): In a strong and direct message on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah clarified that he is ready to step aside if that's what it takes to restore full statehood to the Union Territory.
His comments come amid reports suggesting that granting statehood would require the dissolution of the existing assembly.
Speaking to the reporters after attending an event in Gulmarg, Omar Abdullah said, '... I read in a newspaper that if the statehood is to be granted, then the state assembly has to be dissolved. Then let it happen. I am not worried about my chair...'
Abdullah alleged that the 'misinformation' in being spread order to create fear among Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).
'These reports have been planted in the newspapers to scare our MLAs so that they will wait for another five years. The statehood is not for any MLA or our government, it is for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The MLAs will not become an obstacle to it. The day when the statehood would be given, I will go to the Governor and dissolve the assembly...,' said Abdullah.
Meanwhile, reacting to his previous statement, that 'statehood has been taken from J&K because we are Muslims', JKNC President Farooq Abdullah said, 'What other reason can be there? Are we enemies of India? We joined India when Pakistan was in front of us.'
On Saturday, Farooq Abdullah cautioned that his party may be left with no choice but to approach the Supreme Court if the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir continues to be delayed.
Speaking to reporters, Abdullah said, 'It's been eight months (since the J&K government was formed). I am hopeful that when statehood is restored here, we will also get (administrative) powers... Our stand is that we are waiting (for J&K statehood). But if there are delays, we will have no option but to go to the Supreme Court,'
His remarks come at a time when the NC continues to push for the restoration of both statehood and the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, which was revoked by the Centre in August 2019 through the abrogation of Article 370.
The move had also led to the bifurcation of the former state into two Union Territories--Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The NC's renewed warning follows a meeting of its Working Committee held at the party headquarters in Srinagar under the chairmanship of Farooq Abdullah. The committee adopted seven resolutions covering key political, security, and civil rights issues, with the demand for restoration of special status and statehood being central.
'The Working Committee unanimously reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's special status. The Committee reiterated that this is central to the aspirations and dignity of the people and must be addressed without further delay. We will continue to fight for its restoration,' the resolution read. (ANI)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scroll.in
an hour ago
- Scroll.in
SC refuses to entertain Lalit Modi's plea seeking that BCCI pay penalty imposed on him by ED
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a petition filed by former Indian Premier League chairperson Lalit Modi seeking directions to the Board of Control for Cricket in India to pay a Rs 10.65 crore penalty imposed on him by the Enforcement Directorate for violating the Foreign Exchange Management Act, Live Law reported. A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and R Mahadevan said that Modi could pursue civil remedies seeking indemnification. The bench was dealing with an appeal filed by the former IPL chairperson against a Bombay High Court order dismissing his plea, Bar and Bench reported. Modi has been under investigation by Indian authorities for alleged foreign exchange violations and a Rs 425-crore television rights deal for the 2009 edition of the IPL with World Sports Group. He fled India after attending only one interrogation session with the Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate officials in Mumbai. In 2018, the Enforcement Directorate imposed a fine of Rs 121.56 crore on several entities, including the BCCI, its then chairperson N Srinivasan and others. Out of this amount, Modi had been ordered to pay Rs 10.65 crore, Bar and Bench reported. The penalty, which was part of the larger Enforcement Directorate investigation into the 2009 edition of the IPL, was imposed after it was alleged that over Rs 243 crore was allegedly transferred outside India in contravention of Foreign Exchange Management Act regulations. On December 19, the High Court had dismissed a petition filed by Modi seeking an order to the BCCI to pay the penalty, calling it 'frivolous' and 'wholly misconceived', PTI reported. It also imposed a Rs 1 lakh fine on Modi. In his petition, Modi had said that he served as the BCCI vice president and the chairperson of the IPL governing council when the alleged violations took place. He argued that on this account, the BCCI was obligated to indemnify him under its bylaws. However, the High Court, citing a 2005 Supreme Court ruling, said that the BCCI was not considered a 'state' under Article 12 of the Constitution and hence no writ could be issued against it, PTI reported. Modi subsequently filed a Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court against the High Court's decision. In the Supreme Court on Monday, the bench reiterated that the BCCI was not a 'state' under Article 12 and hence not directly amenable to writ jurisdiction under Article 226, except in certain limited functional public duties like organising sports events, Live Law reported.
Scroll.in
an hour ago
- Scroll.in
Telangana MLA T Raja Singh quits BJP, objects to appointment of new state party chief
Telangana MLA T Raja Singh on Monday resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party, expressing 'shock and disappointment' at media reports saying that former Member of Legislative Council N Ramachander Rao was set to be the next state party chief. Singh, the MLA from the Goshamahal constituency in Hyderabad, said in a letter to current Telangana BJP chief G Kishan Reddy that the decision disappointed 'lakhs of karyakartas, leaders and voters who have stood by the party through every high and low'. He said that some individuals, driven by personal interest, appeared to have misled the BJP's central leadership, and claimed that this risked causing avoidable setbacks to the party. 'This is not about personal ambition, this letter reflects the pain and frustration of lakhs of loyal BJP karyakartas and supporters who feel sidelines and unheard,' Singh said. The Goshamahal MLA, however, said he remained committed to the ideology of Hindutva, and that he would 'continue to raise my voice and stand with the Hindu community with even greater strength'. The silence of many should not be mistaken for agreement. I speak not just for myself, but for countless karyakartas and voters who stood with us with faith, and who today feel let down. Jai Shri Ram 🚩 — Raja Singh (@TigerRajaSingh) June 30, 2025 Singh has frequently made inflammatory remarks targeting Muslims and has been booked in several criminal cases. In August 2022, he was briefly arrested for allegedly making disparaging remarks about Prophet Muhammad. However, the court had ordered his release, saying that the police did not follow proper procedure during his arrest. The BJP suspended Singh for the remarks in August 2022, but reinstated him in October 2023. On December 3, 2023, he went on to win his third term as an MLA from Goshamahal. Even when he was suspended from the party, Singh had engaged in hate speech against Muslims multiple times. In January 2023, the MLA urged Hindu women not to befriend women who wear the burqa. The MLA insinuated that Hindus now face danger from Muslim men as well as women as he said: 'There was a time when we faced danger from Aftab, but now there is danger from Ayesha as well. It is this Ayesha that introduces [Hindu women] to Aftab.' In March, Singh was once again booked making inflammatory remarks against Muslims during an event in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district. At the event, held on March 10, Singh had made derogatory references towards Muslims and also claimed that India will be declared a Hindu nation by 2026. At another rally in March organised to support the renaming of the city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra, Singh had asked Hindus to take action if they find cases of 'love jihad'. The city was officially renamed as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar in September.
India Gazette
2 hours ago
- India Gazette
Lying is BJP's
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 30 (ANI): Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for making false claims of former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray accepting the Mashelkar committee's report on the three-language policy. Addressing the media, Raut stated that lying was the BJP's 'national policy.', further challenging the BJP that if Thackeray had submitted the Mashelkar committee report, it should have been made public. 'Lying is the BJP's national policy. These people are working with this policy in Maharashtra. If Uddhav Thackeray had submitted a report on the Mashelkar committee, it should be made public. A committee report has been released and placed in the cabinet. Can't this be discussed? You forcefully discussed Hindi with the cabinet -- you did it because it's a national policy. If any national policy comes before the state, then discussing it is very important. Devendra Fadnavis has become the chief minister three times--does he not have that much knowledge?' Raut said, addressing a press conference. Earlier on June 29, the Maharashtra government had cancelled the two orders on the implementation of the three-language policy after facing heavy criticism from the opposition, and being accused of 'imposing Hindu' on the people of the state. On June 24, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis while making an announcement on the three-language formula had alleged that it was former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray who had accepted the recommendations of the Dr Raghunath Mashelkar committee to introduce a three-language policy from class 1 to 12, and had also constituted a panel for its implementation, according to a press note by the Maharashtra Government. 'The decision on the Three-Language Formula was taken by Uddhav Thackeray himself during his tenure,' Fadnavis said. Following the announcement, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Chief Raj Thackeray said that the government resolutions were cancelled solely due to the pressure from the Marathi people. 'The decision to impose the Hindi language under the pretext of teaching three languages from the first grade has finally been withdrawn. The government has cancelled the two GRs related to this. This cannot be called belated wisdom, because this imposition was withdrawn solely due to the pressure from the Marathi people. Why the government was so adamant about the Hindi language and who exactly was pressuring the government for this remains a mystery,' Raj Thackeray wrote on X. Raj Thackeray further defied the formation of the committee on the three-language policy, saying that they assume this decision has been permanently cancelled and the government shouldn't create 'confusion with the committee's report again.' 'One more thing: the government has once again appointed a new committee. I say clearly, let the committee's report come or not, but such actions will not be tolerated again, and that's final! The government should engrave this in their minds forever! We assume this decision has been permanently cancelled, and the people of Maharashtra have assumed the same. So, do not create confusion with the committee's report again, otherwise, the government should note that this committee will not be allowed to function in Maharashtra,' he said. (ANI)
