Minister Javed Rana launches signature campaign for J&K statehood

In a move to build public consensus and mobilise grassroots support for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, Javed Ahmed Rana, Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs, has launched a signature campaign from Mendhar in Poonch.

The campaign was announced by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in his Independence Day address in Srinagar.

While launching the campaign, Rana described it as more than a political call, “a people-driven movement to reclaim the democratic rights, constitutional identity and lost dignity of the people of J&K”.

“This campaign is rooted in the voices of the common people who have, for too long, awaited the restoration of our statehood. It is about reclaiming what is rightfully ours,” Rana said, addressing a gathering in Mendhar.

“Statehood is not a privilege—it is our constitutional right. It embodies our voice, our identity and our collective future,” he said.

He called upon youth, civil society groups, intellectuals and citizens across the political spectrum to actively participate in the movement, emphasising that the cause transcends political affiliations and ideological boundaries. “Let us rise above party lines and personal differences to stand united for the larger good of our people and our land,” he added.

In a major push to the campaign, Omar Abdullah will personally visit all 90 Assembly constituencies, engaging directly with the people and collecting signatures in support of the demand.