Committed to restoring Jammu and Kashmir statehood, constitutional guarantees: Omar Abdullah

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said his government is committed to restoring the statehood and other constitutional guarantees to Jammu and Kashmir which were revoked in August 2019He also spoke on the protests in Pakistanoccupied Jammu and Kashmir PoJK to say that his partys forebears were right in fighting off the tribal invasion after IndependenceI want to assure the people that we are for you we will continue to represent you and work to bring Jammu and Kashmir to the level envisioned by the people who fought for freedom and were martyred Abdullah said in his Independence speech at Bakshi Stadium hereTo honour that martyrdom we will realise the dreams they left us as their legacy ndash whether it is getting back the special status restoring constitutional guarantees for Jammu and Kashmir regaining statehood or leading a new era of progress he addedReferring to the protests in PoJK the chief minister said the situation vindicated the National Conference founder Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah and his colleagues decision to fight the Pakistanbacked tribal invaders in 1947When I see the situation across the border I realise that our ancestors who said hamlavar khabardar hum Kashmiri hain tayyar Attackers beware Kashmiris are prepared were right he saidMaster Abdul Aziz the NC leader was killed in Muzaffarabad for trying to stop the attack he saidAbdullah also said the people in PoJK would have been fighting to join Jammu and Kashmir if the Centre had not revoked the special constitutional guarantees in 2019Today when we look at that part of Jammu and Kashmir across the LoC there is pain sorrow and worry In my place I have the realisation that perhaps if our conditions had not been changed in 2019 the people of that part of Jammu and Kashmir would today be protesting to reconnect with usThat part of Jammu and Kashmir is ours We consider those people as our own Seats are still kept for them in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly with the hope that one day those people will be able to use those empty seats he saidAbdullah termed democracy and federalism as the two biggest strengths of IndiaProtecting democracy at all costs strengthening democracy at all costs keeping democracy alive at all costs ndash this is our huge responsibility he saidThe chief minister said India is a union of states not just on paper but also in spiritWhen we talk about federalism strengthening that federalism starts from Jammu and Kashmir Whatever was snatched from us should be returned so that this federalism and identity are not just in words but put into practice he saidAbdullah said however strengthening federalism does not mean just turning a union territory into a state but rather strengthening the statesWhen central agencies start interfering in the affairs of states federalism suffers When the powers of a state are eroded hollowed out and used by central agencies federalism suffers and the result is often seen on the streets he saidAbdullah said the recent student protests on the streets of Delhi were the result of this very issueUnder our federal structure education and health were both responsibilities of the state But the exam pattern was changed Exams like NEET NTA and JEE were created and the right of states to give admissions to medical and engineering colleges was taken away The result was protests and movements in Delhi against this very sequence he saidThe chief minister said it is fine to hold national exams for national institutions but states must have the right to conduct exams for their institutionsHe said youth were forced to come out to the streets because of allegations of fraud in recruitment exams in JK as wellThe truth is that destroying credibility from a thing or a system is a matter of minutes but reestablishing credibility takes years he saidAbdullah said that in a democracy the government the opposition and the media all play very important rolesThe governments job is to work the oppositions job is to make the government accountable ndash both inside the assembly and outside and the medias job is to make both accountable he saidHowever the biggest role belongs to the government the NC leader asserted The opposition cannot step back from its responsibilities either and this must be put into practice not just said in words he addedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever