Omar Abdullah advocates for J&K statehood at flag-off ceremony

Mixing humour with political resolve, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday used the flagging-off ceremony of the first train to Kashmir by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Katra to subtly but clearly articulate his government's demand for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

Recalling the opening of the Katra railway station, the last programme of his first government in 2014, Abdullah pointed at a "coincidence" that four people present at the event on Friday were also on stage that day. Humorously pointing out the differing career trajectories of the persons involved, Abdullah said, "You (Narendra Modi) became the Prime Minister for the first time then... You came here right after the election. And by the grace of God, you inaugurated the Katra railway station here.

“After that, you won the election twice in a row and remained the prime minister of this country. Your minister of state in the PMO, Jitendra Singh, was also present... Even our respected Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who was the minister of state for railways at that time, was present." Referring to his own position, Abdullah said, "And I, as the chief minister of a full-fledged state then, stand slightly demoted. I was the chief minister of a state. Now I am the chief minister of a union territory." "But I believe that it will not take long for this to be corrected. And with your help, Jammu and Kashmir will again attain the status of a state," Abdullah added.

The chief minister's direct plea for the restoration of statehood was met with applause by the large gathering.

The erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised into two union territories – J-K and Ladakh – following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

During his speech at the inauguration of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway link, Abdullah reflected on the significant passage of time since the project's inception in early 1980s.

“I was an eighth grade student when this project was started. Today, I am 55 years old. My children have also completed college. Now this project has been completed," he said, pointing at the decades-long journey of the railway link between Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country.

He also underscored the historical significance of the railway link, noting that even the British envisioned connecting Kashmir by rail via Uri and Jhelum, but failed to realise the dream.

"But today, what the British could not fulfil, has been fulfilled by your hands. The Kashmir Valley has been connected with other parts of the country,” Abdullah said, commending the Centre's achievement.

Remembering former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Abdullah said, “I will be making a huge mistake if I do not thank Vajpayee ji on this occasion... This happened after he gave it the status of a project of national importance and made it a part of the Budget." Abdullah also highlighted the immense benefits the railway project would bring to Jammu and Kashmir. "Jammu and Kashmir will benefit a lot with this project. It will benefit from tourism. It will benefit the residents of Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

The chief minister also specifically mentioned the inflated airfares during highway closures.

"When the highway closes as soon as it rains, the airlines start looting us. A ticket for Rs 5,000 suddenly costs Rs 20,000 within hours. But with the completion of the rail link, at least the loot of the passengers will be reduced now.” Abdullah further expressed hope that the railway line would also help facilitate the transportation of fruits like apples and cherries to markets across the country.

Acknowledging the development of broader infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir by the Centre, Abdullah said, "With your auspicious hands, another infrastructure project has been completed in Jammu and Kashmir. Similarly, many other projects are moving forward rapidly." He also cited the ongoing work on various projects in Jammu and Kashmir, including ring roads in Jammu and Srinagar, the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra expressway, Jammu-Srinagar four-laning, and airport and railway network expansions.