JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) Vice President and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday asserted that the unity of Jammu and Kashmir is non-negotiable and warned that any demand for bifurcation is against the interests of the Jammu region itself.
Addressing the concluding session of the two-day Party Block Presidents’ Convention in Jammu, Omar said that as long as the plough-bearing flag of the National Conference continues to fly across Jammu and Kashmir, no force would be able to divide the region on regional or religious lines. The convention was chaired by NC President Dr Farooq Abdullah.
Highlighting the priorities of the National Conference government, Omar said people’s welfare and regional balance remain at the core of its governance agenda. He outlined a series of pro-people initiatives undertaken by his government, including increased ration quotas, free bus rides for women, enhanced pensions, free land for landslide victims, and the restoration of the historic Darbar Move.
He said sustained efforts in sectors such as tourism, road infrastructure, healthcare, education, and recruitment were helping put Jammu back on the path of development and progress.
Taking a sharp dig at the BJP, Omar said leaders who had stopped the Darbar Move or celebrated the closure of a medical college could not claim to be well-wishers of Jammu. He warned that divisive and narrow politics had harmed the region in the past and would continue to do so if unchecked. “This is something the National Conference government will never allow,” he said.
Reiterating his opposition to any move to divide Jammu and Kashmir, Omar targeted Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, describing the bifurcation demand as a personal power play. “If he wants to be Chief Minister, why only Jammu and not the whole of Jammu and Kashmir? If ambition drives him so much, let him contest Jammu municipal elections,” he remarked.
Omar further said that BJP leaders’ political ambitions would not extend beyond areas like Kanak Mandi and Raghunath Bazar, asserting that the people of Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal would never support divisive agendas. He warned that such “wishful and dangerous politics” would ultimately harm Jammu’s interests, which, he said, the National Conference remains committed to safeguarding.
He also reaffirmed the party’s commitment to secularism, stating that the National Conference has consistently protected the secular character of the region. “Despite being a Muslim-majority region, the people of Jammu and Kashmir chose to align with a secular India and have remained steadfast despite persistent propaganda from across the border,” he said.
The convention was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, Ministers Sakina Itoo, Javed Ahmad Rana, Javid Ahmad Dar and Satish Sharma, MPs Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan and Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo, senior party leaders including Ajay Kumar Sadhotra and Rattan Lal Gupta, several MLAs, and other senior functionaries.
The two-day convention witnessed extensive deliberations on improving the quality of life of the people, ensuring social justice, and strengthening the party’s organisational structure. Senior leaders reiterated the National Conference’s legacy of sacrifices in defence of democracy, secularism, and human rights.
The convention concluded with a resolve to continue working for the welfare of the people and towards the establishment of a democratic, secular, and just society in Jammu and Kashmir. A detailed report of the deliberations and recommendations will be submitted to Party President Dr Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
