‘I hate being reminded that we are a UT’: Omar Abdullah on statehood, power tussles and Kashmir’s uneasy calm

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on January 6 laid bare his unease with the Union Territory status of the region, saying he finds it “very difficult” to use the words Union Territory and Jammu and Kashmir in the same sentence.

Speaking at The Indian Express Adda, Abdullah said the reminder that J&K is no longer a full-fledged state remains a constant political and emotional irritant.

“I hate being reminded that we are a UT,” he said, pointing out that during his earlier tenure, he was never introduced as the Chief Minister of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. “So why should I now be introduced as the Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, unless you are trying to drill it into us?”

Completing one year in office in October, Abdullah said relations with the Union government have largely been functional, barring what he described as a glaring lack of movement on the promise of restoring statehood. “We were told this would be a three-step process — delimitation, elections and statehood. Two steps are complete. Why are we being made to wait for the third?” he asked, adding that while assurances are given privately, the public refrain of an “appropriate time” has only deepened uncertainty.

He drew a sharp distinction between his equation with the Centre and his relationship with the Lieutenant Governor, flagging what he termed as continued overreach by the LG’s office. Despite public statements limiting the LG’s role to law and order and security, Abdullah said several institutions that should have reverted to the elected government remain under the LG’s control.

Citing examples, he pointed to the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation, where he is the power minister but the LG continues as chairman, universities where the Chief Minister traditionally serves as chancellor, tourism development authorities that remain outside his control, and even the appointment of an IAS officer as Director Information for a post meant for the J&K Administrative Services cadre. “This has not translated on the ground,” he said.

On statehood, Abdullah admitted to deep disappointment. He said the issue has been raised consistently with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior Union ministers, including the Home Minister, who has assured J&K’s newly elected Rajya Sabha members that restoration is “happening”. “If I have to be told ‘appropriate time’, then give me a target so I can work towards it,” he said.

Responding to criticism that he has been insufficiently assertive and has normalized the dilution of powers, Abdullah rejected the charge. “If I had to be part of the disempowerment, I would have sat here smiling and told you everything is great. I haven’t done that,” he said.

On the broader national climate, Abdullah expressed concern over what he described as a shrinking space for pluralism. He said incidents such as a Chief Minister forcibly removing a woman’s face covering without consequences were “deeply distressing” and symbolic of a worrying transformation. “Would he have done that to a woman wearing a ghunghat?” he asked.

Addressing whether Kashmir has moved on from the abrogation of Article 370, Abdullah said the absence of daily protests should not be mistaken for acceptance. “If people had willingly accepted it, BJP and its allies would have done far better in the Assembly elections,” he said, noting that most Valley seats went to the National Conference, Congress or PDP.

He described Kashmir’s public mood as complex and fractured — ranging from outright rejection of India, to alignment with the BJP, to a large middle ground that is unhappy with the changes but sees no immediate remedy. That space, he warned, is vulnerable to radicalization.

Pointing to controversies over merit-based admissions and sports team selections where Muslim representation triggered political backlash, Abdullah said religion is increasingly being weaponized. “These children qualified on merit, yet their seats are questioned on religious grounds,” he said.

He also spoke out strongly against what he called “bulldozer justice”, citing demolition of homes after terror incidents, including cases where later investigations found no local involvement. “You are pushing an entire community to the sidelines,” he warned, adding that Kashmiris, including his own nephews, routinely face discrimination while seeking housing outside the region.

Recalling the unprecedented special session of the J&K Assembly after the Pahalgam attack, Abdullah said it was meant to signal that such violence does not represent the people of the region. Candlelight marches by ordinary citizens, he said, reflected genuine public revulsion. “This was not in our name,” he said.

On the INDIA bloc, Abdullah acknowledged frustrations over lack of coherence and ideological divergence, particularly on J&K’s autonomy. While distancing himself from allegations of EVM manipulation, he said constitutional bodies are increasingly perceived as partisan. “There’s no smoke without fire,” he remarked.

Looking at India-Pakistan relations, Abdullah said repeated attacks and Pakistan’s internal power dynamics make meaningful dialogue difficult. “Even if PM Modi were to speak to PM Shahbaz Sharif, where is the power really located?” he asked, adding that responsibility for creating conditions for dialogue does not rest on India alone.

On the question of special status, Abdullah said there was no reason to assume the current situation would last forever. “Obviously, it would require a change of government at the Centre — one better disposed towards us,” he said.

Throughout the conversation, Abdullah returned repeatedly to the theme of dignity, federal balance and unfinished political promises — making it clear that for him, normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir remains incomplete without the restoration of statehood.