Omar, Farooq Abdullah at Sunday’s NC session. Express Photo by Shuaib Masoodi
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Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah on Sunday toughened his party’s stance on special status for the state and said that the Constitution guarantees autonomy to J&K, and if talking about that is anti-national, they are proud to wear this badge. Omar said J&K had acceded to India and not merged with it, and it is wrong to compare it with any other Indian state.
“When there was accession (of J&K with India), the Centre was responsible for three things: currency, defence and foreign affairs. This is mentioned in the Constitution, and when we say it should be restored, you say they are anti-national,” Omar said. “A senior minister said leave alone azaadi, if somebody talks of autonomy, he is an anti-national,” Omar said, addressing a delegate session of the NC in Srinagar, “We don’t have to get autonomy from Pakistan; we don’t have to get it from Russia or Britain. We have to get it from the Indian Constitution, the Constitution in which it is already mentioned.
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“I am sorry, (Arun) Jaitley-sahib, but if talking of something within the Constitution, to get something from the Constitution, is anti-national, we will wear this badge of anti-national proudly. We have no objection to it”. Omar was referring to Union Finance Minister Jaitley’s remarks that Chidambaram’s position on autonomy for J&K is “contrary to India’s national interest”.
The delegate session re-elected Farooq Abdullah as the party president and passed a resolution seeking restoration of autonomy to the state. Omar said J&K is unlike any other Indian state. “Why are you, time and again, comparing Jammu and Kashmir with Gujarat, Haryana and Tamil Nadu,” he asked. “We have our own identity, we have preserved our identity. We have our own Constitution, we have our own flag. You can’t compare us with other states.”
Omar also admitted making mistakes in the past: “…Sometime, because of our own mistakes, we deviate from our path. This is human tendency. No one among us is an angel — we are humans, and humans do make mistakes…. I believe we have learnt to a large extent from our mistakes.” Farooq Abdullah echoed Omar’s words on autonomy: “We had joined you (India) with love but you didn’t understand our love. You snatched (that) very thing from us and then you are asking why you don’t raise slogans in our favour…. If you have to win their hearts, you have to give them autonomy”.
Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter.
Expertise and Experience
Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development.
Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor.
Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans:
Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance.
Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population.
Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley.
Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More
