J&K CM to launch signature campaign for statehood; Oppn reacts
In a bid to reiterate his demand for Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced that he will be launching a door-to-door signature campaign across the state, aimed at collecting support from the people of J&K and taking it to Delhi. In his Independence Day speech, Abdullah said, “Till now, through letters…and meetings, we’ve raised our voice. Now we’re going to raise our voice from every village of J&K to Delhi.”
The move, however, has been met with criticism from opposition leaders, who have termed the signature campaign as a futile exercise with no legal or constitutional sanctity. The opposition parties have been questioning the need for such a campaign, asking what it would achieve in terms of actualizing the demand for statehood.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has been pushing for the restoration of the state’s special status, which was revoked by the Center in 2019. The BJP-led government at the Center had abolished Article 370 of the Constitution, which granted special powers to J&K, and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Abdullah’s announcement of the signature campaign comes at a time when the political scenario in J&K is tense, with the Center and the state government locked in a bitter standoff over the issue of statehood. The opposition parties have been accusing the Center of trying to undermine the state’s autonomy and demanding its restoration.
The signature campaign, which is expected to begin soon, is aimed at collecting support from the people of J&K and presenting it to the Center as a united demand. Abdullah has already started mobilizing his party workers and supporters to participate in the campaign.
However, the opposition parties are not impressed with the idea, terming it as a publicity stunt. The National Conference, which is the ruling party in J&K, has been criticized for its failure to deliver on its promises, including the restoration of statehood.
The opposition parties have been questioning the need for a signature campaign, asking what it would achieve in terms of actualizing the demand for statehood. They have also been demanding an apology from Abdullah for his role in the 2019 political developments that led to the revocation of Article 370.
“Signature campaigns have no legal or constitutional sanctity,” said a senior opposition leader, adding that the people of J&K have already rejected the National Conference’s politics of appeasement and opportunism.
The opposition parties have been demanding a clear roadmap from the Center on the restoration of statehood, rather than relying on signature campaigns and public posturing. They have also been accusing Abdullah of trying to divert attention from the real issues facing the people of J&K, such as unemployment, poverty, and lack of development.
The controversy surrounding the signature campaign has also brought to the fore the deep divisions within the National Conference itself. Some party leaders have been questioning the wisdom of the campaign, saying it would only serve to further polarize the state and undermine the party’s credibility.
In the midst of the controversy, Abdullah has been trying to project the signature campaign as a peoples’ movement, aimed at asserting the rights of the people of J&K. However, his efforts have been met with skepticism by the opposition parties, who have been accusing him of trying to hoodwink the people of J&K and avoid taking responsibility for his failures.
As the controversy surrounding the signature campaign continues to unfold, one thing is clear – the demand for statehood is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. The people of J&K will have to wait and see if the signature campaign achieves its intended goal or remains just another empty gesture.
