Hundreds of people gathered in New Delhi, the capital of India, on Monday to protest and demand the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. The demonstration was led by Omar Abdullah, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, with participants protesting the removal of the region’s statehood and calling for its reinstatement.
According to reports, police attempted to prevent the gathering from taking place. Despite this, Omar Abdullah shared videos and images of the protest on the social media platform X, stating that the movement marked the beginning of efforts to restore statehood, rights, dignity, and other entitlements that he said had been taken away from the people of the region.
In 2019, the government of Narendra Modi revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s limited autonomy, removed its statehood status, and divided the region into two federally administered territories: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The decision has since drawn mixed reactions from political groups and residents of the region.
Since then, the Indian government has repeatedly stated that it will restore Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood at an “appropriate time,” but no specific timeline has been announced for fulfilling that promise. The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference party, led by Omar Abdullah, has also called for the pledge to be implemented as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) argue that the protests are intended to divert public attention from what they describe as the “failures of Omar Abdullah’s government.” The party maintains that the central government will make a decision on restoring statehood at the appropriate time.
Kashmir remains one of the most significant points of dispute between India and Pakistan. Both countries claim the entire region, while each administers parts of it. India accuses Pakistan of supporting separatist groups in Indian-administered Kashmir, a claim Islamabad has denied.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
