Fight for J&K’s statehood to continue until it is restored: Omar

Govt belongs to every region, citizen; development must continue despite political circumstances: CM

07/08/2026

JAMMU, Aug 6: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday asserted that his government and the National Conference (NC) would continue their efforts for the restoration of statehood until it is achieved.
Responding to a question on whether more steps would be taken following demonstrations across Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday seeking restoration of statehood, Abdullah said, "Yes. We will continue our efforts until statehood is restored."
The chief minister made the remarks while interacting with reporters after reviewing relief and rehabilitation measures in the flood-hit Rajouri district.
His comments come days after he and NC president Farooq Abdullah led a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 20, demanding the restoration of statehood and constitutional rights for Jammu and Kashmir.
Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised into two Union Territories after the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state on August 5, 2019. The NC has consistently maintained that the restoration of full statehood remains one of its key political commitments.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday inaugurated a 'waste to wonder' park in Jammu and said it would emerge as a major tourist attraction, further asserting that his government is working to tap the tourism potential of every region in the UT.
Speaking after inaugurating the park here, Abdullah said Jammu, traditionally known as the "city of temples", needed to offer visitors more attractions beyond religious tourism.
Omar said he was delighted to inaugurate the new waste to wonder park, describing it as a unique addition to Jammu's tourism landscape.
"As I said in my address, Jammu is known as the city of temples. People generally come here to pay obeisance at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine and visit temples. But at the same time, they also want to see tourist attractions that are unique and not available elsewhere," he told reporters here.
The chief minister said the waste to wonder park, developed on land that was used as a garbage dumping site until two years ago, has now been transformed into a unique tourism asset.
The park features replicas of 14 iconic monuments from across the world, including the White House, the Colosseum, the Eiffel Tower, Bhutan's Tiger's Nest Monastery, the Statue of Unity, Hawa Mahal, Agra Fort, the Chenab Rail Bridge and the Taj Mahal. It also has children's play areas, a small lake with pedal boats and food stalls serving local cuisine, including rajma-chawal.
Abdullah said while he was delighted to be in Jammu for the inauguration, it felt special for yet another reason. "Perhaps, for the first time we are all holding an event right in front of the residence of the President of the United States -- the White House. If you look towards the window on the upper right side, you might even spot Mr Donald Trump behind the curtains," he jested.
The chief minister said the park also showcases replicas of some of India's iconic landmarks, including the Statue of Unity of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Hawa Mahal, Agra Fort, the Chenab Bridge and the Taj Mahal.
The government is not ignoring the tourism potential of any region, he said and referred to two recent Cabinet decisions aimed at boosting tourism infrastructure.
The Cabinet, he said, has approved leasing the old ITDC hotel in Gulmarg to private players for 40 years and decided to hand over the Mantalai Yoga Centre in Chenani, originally established by Dhirendra Brahmachari, for development as a wellness tourism facility.
Abdullah said the decision would help transform the remote hilly area of Mantalai into an important destination for wellness tourism.
Replying to questions on the recent floods in Rajouri and Poonch districts, the chief minister said no compensation could make up for the loss of human lives, but the government would extend every possible assistance to bereaved families.
He said the floods have caused extensive damage to houses, agricultural land, standing crops, livestock and government infrastructure, particularly assets belonging to the Public Works (R&B), Jal Shakti and Power departments.
"We will prepare a comprehensive relief package and seek special financial assistance from the Centre for these two districts so that damaged infrastructure can be restored and affected people rehabilitated," Abdullah said.
The chief minister declined to comment on political issues, saying he would confine himself to discussing the Smart City project, electric buses, the waste to wonder Park and Jammu's development.

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