Will approach top court if govt fails to grant statehood: Omar

National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Sunday said if Centre fails to grant statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, the party will not hesitate to seek justice from the highest court once again.

Noting that electoral democracy was restored in J&K because the Supreme Court intervened and not because of the BJP, Omar said, “We have been eagerly awaiting this day for the past decade. The last Assembly elections were held in 2014.”

Omar addressed back to back election rallies in Shopian and Zainpora on Sunday.

“Yesterday in Jammu, the Home Minister took a jab at us, questioning how the National Conference and Congress could promise statehood. He doubted our ability to deliver on this promise. I want to remind Amit Shah that this election was not handed to us on a silver platter. We fought tooth and nail in the Supreme Court to earn the right to hold this election. If they refuse to restore statehood, we will not hesitate to knock on the doors of the Supreme Court once again to reclaim what is rightfully ours,” he said.

“We are in a battle against destructive forces that have wreaked havoc on Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

“While we engage in political discourse regarding Article 370, statehood, and prisoners’ release, we must also address the daily struggles faced by the people that the current government has failed to resolve. We must find solutions to these issues,” he said.

Omar also highlighted the plight of educated youth who remain unemployed, allegedly facing harassment and unjust treatment. He vowed to abolish the Public Safety Act (PSA) to prevent its misuse in the future.

“The National Conference has pledged to reintroduce free education up to the university level, provide 200 units of free electricity to every household, and offer 12 gas cylinders annually to economically disadvantaged families. We are committed to restoring the forest rights of marginalised communities, safeguarding the apple industry, and upholding the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.