No compromise on the unity of Jammu and Kashmir, demand for division not in Jammu’s interest: Omar Abdullah

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has sent a strong message to those playing politics of division in the Union Territory. Addressing the concluding session of the National Conference’s (NC) two-day block presidents’ conference on Tuesday, he termed the unity of Jammu and Kashmir “non-negotiable.” The Chief Minister made it clear that those who are once again demanding the division of the state are not only misleading the public but also playing with the future of the Jammu region. He said that as long as the National Conference (NC) flag flies in the Union Territory, no power will dare to divide the region on regional or religious lines. Omar was addressing the concluding session of his party’s two-day block presidents’ conference here. The conference, which began on Monday, was chaired by NC president Farooq Abdullah. Last year, on October 16, the National Conference government fulfilled its election promise by restoring the ‘Darbar Move,’ a practice under which the government functions in Jammu and Srinagar for six months each. The ‘Darbar Move’ practice, started by the Dogra rulers nearly 150 years ago, was discontinued by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in June 2021. Targeting BJP leaders, Omar Abdullah said that those who stopped the ‘Darbar Move’ or celebrated the closure of medical colleges cannot claim to be well-wishers of Jammu. He warned that such “narrow, divisive politics” has harmed Jammu in the past and will continue to do so, which the NC government will never tolerate. The Chief Minister reiterated that as long as the National Conference flag flies, no power can divide Jammu and Kashmir. The Chief Minister’s statement reflects his commitment to maintaining the territorial integrity of Jammu and Kashmir. He has made it clear that his government will not allow any ideology or demand to flourish that threatens the state’s age-old unity and brotherhood.