Jammu and Kashmir leaders unite in demanding the immediate restoration of statehood.
As the sixth anniversary of Article 370’s abrogation nears, Jammu and Kashmir’s political voices, from across the spectrum, are converging on one loud, clear demand: immediate restoration of statehood. The recent event in Delhi, organised by the Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir, was not just another gathering of opposition leaders. It was a collective, deeply emotional outpouring, a reminder that the constitutional compact between Jammu and Kashmir and the Union of India remains frayed.
From the towering presence of Dr Farooq Abdullah to the emphatic declarations of Aga Ruhullah Mehdi and Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, the event brought a rare cohesion among political rivals. Farooq Abdullah, in a passionate speech, declared that statehood was not a favour but a right under the Constitution. “We are not here to beg,” he said, asserting that what was taken away unilaterally in 2019 violated not just legality but also trust. His words, “This is not the India I grew up in”, struck a chord with many who feel that the ideals of equality and inclusivity are receding.
Aga Ruhullah went a step further, arguing that the 2019 move wasn’t just about Jammu and Kashmir but about reshaping Indian federalism. “Is our fate surrendered to a parliamentary majority?” he asked, highlighting how easily a unique state identity could be diluted in the current political arithmetic. Tarigami, ever the voice of the democratic process, pointed to the shuttered assembly and the symbolic locking of elected representatives’ homes on July 13. For him, it was not just political theatre, it was a breakdown of representative governance.
Mayor of Srinagar Junaid Azim Mattu added nuance to the debate by warning that democratic voids inevitably breed public alienation and disorder. That Jammu and Kashmir continues to be administered by unelected bureaucrats nearly six years after losing statehood is, in his view, an affront to India’s constitutional promise.
In Jammu, meanwhile, Ghulam Nabi Azad made a sobering intervention: “Statehood is not about Muslims or Hindus, it concerns everyone.” Azad, despite distancing himself from other regional parties, has consistently called for the immediate restoration of statehood, stressing that the region’s development, governance, and future stability depend on it.
With the Centre’s earlier commitment still unfulfilled, this growing chorus, unified despite political and ideological divides, can no longer be brushed aside. The time has come to honour the ‘gentleman’s promise’ made in 2021. The restoration of statehood is not a privilege to be granted; it is a constitutional correction long overdue.
