Congress’ U-Turn on Article 370 Resolution Irrelevant: J&K CM Omar Abdullah

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday downplayed the Congress Party’s retraction of support for a resolution passed by the J&K Assembly advocating dialogue for the restoration of the region’s special status under Article 370. Abdullah emphasized that the resolution’s passage, not Congress’ stance, was the key achievement.

Speaking in Srinagar, the newly sworn-in CM remarked, “The important point is that the resolution was passed, not rejected. Congress’ withdrawal of support makes no difference to its significance.” Abdullah attributed the Congress’ shift to sustained political pressure from the BJP but stated that this would not diminish the resolution’s impact.

Omar Abdullah reiterated his government’s commitment to restoring statehood and constitutional guarantees for Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that the current Union Territory status is inadequate to meet the people’s aspirations. “From the first day, we have been striving to regain statehood for J&K. There are certain demands from the people that we cannot fulfill under the current Union Territory status. This resolution has opened a door for dialogue,” he stated.

The resolution, brought forward by Abdullah’s government, received support from most MLAs, excluding the BJP. While Congress initially backed the move, its subsequent retraction followed targeted attacks from the BJP, according to Abdullah. “Congress is not part of our government; they support us from the outside. The BJP pressured them to backtrack, but this will not impact the resolution or its purpose,” he added.

The passage of this resolution marks a symbolic step in the region’s push to regain its special status and statehood, a contentious issue since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. While political parties remain divided on the matter, Abdullah’s government remains resolute in its pursuit of constitutional restoration.