Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, has raised serious concerns over the changing nature of governance in the Union Territory, saying that bureaucrats no longer respond to public representatives with the same seriousness as they did when the region held full statehood.
In a candid conversation with senior advocate and former Union Minister Kapil Sibal on the YouTube show “Dil Se Kapil Sibal”, Omar expressed disappointment over what he termed as a declining sense of responsibility within the administrative system. Drawing comparisons between the functioning of governance before and after the abrogation of Article 370, Omar said that under statehood, officials were solution-oriented and prompt in responding to issues.
“When I was the Chief Minister of the state, if I instructed a bureaucrat to resolve a matter, they would offer multiple ways to accomplish it. Now, the same officers provide a list of reasons why something cannot be done,” Omar remarked, highlighting the shift in administrative behavior.He emphasized that this change is not merely symbolic but deeply affects the delivery of governance on the ground. According to Omar, this bureaucratic inertia undermines the very idea of democratic governance in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing the recent militant attack in Baisaran, near the popular tourist destination of Pahalgam, Omar Abdullah alleged that the incident was part of a broader attempt to disturb communal harmony across the country. He noted that acts of terror like this are designed to provoke societal divides and disrupt peaceful coexistence.
“Deploying security personnel at every location is impossible. The attack in Baisaran and Pakistan’s responses are not random—they are calculated moves intended to create religious discord,” Omar stated.The former Chief Minister urged both the administration and civil society to act cautiously and prevent any attempts to polarize communities in the wake of such incidents. He warned that the consequences of communal tension are always more damaging for the common people.
Speaking on the absence of an elected assembly in Jammu and Kashmir, Omar questioned the logic of keeping the region as a Union Territory, despite its size, population, and administrative complexity. He said the continued denial of full democratic rights to the people of Jammu and Kashmir runs contrary to the spirit of the Constitution.“There are some regions like Daman, Diu, or Lakshadweep, where the geographical size or population may not justify a legislative assembly. But in places like Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir, where governance challenges are more complex, why deny people the right to elect their representatives?” Omar asked.
He argued that reducing Jammu and Kashmir to a Union Territory has tied the hands of any local government that may eventually come to power, making it more dependent on New Delhi for even basic administrative decisions.Omar Abdullah strongly questioned the government’s rationale behind scrapping Article 370 in August 2019, which earlier granted special constitutional status to Jammu and Kashmir. He contended that the move has not translated into any significant advantage for the people of the region.
“I posed a simple question to some BJP leaders during the budget session held in Jammu in March: Tell me one thing that has been accomplished post-August 5, 2019, that couldn’t have been achieved before. I am still waiting for a convincing answer,” Omar said.
He maintained that development, investment, and peace were promised as outcomes of the Article 370 abrogation, but on the ground, the situation remains largely unchanged, and in some cases, has worsened.
As the interview progressed, Omar Abdullah reiterated his party’s demand for the restoration of statehood and early elections in Jammu and Kashmir. He stressed that only a democratically elected government can effectively understand and resolve the region’s challenges. He accused the Centre of maintaining prolonged bureaucratic control over J&K, which according to him, disconnects decision-making from grassroots realities. Omar also called upon national political parties and civil society to speak up for the restoration of democracy in the region.
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