Addressing a public rally in the border town of Nowshera in Rajouri district, the Chief Minister said repeated assurances from the Centre had failed to translate into action, leaving the people of J&K waiting for a commitment that had been reiterated at multiple forums.

Questioning the Centre's continued use of the phrase "at the right time", Abdullah asked what that formulation actually meant. The Chief Minister said that if the promise of statehood had been made in Parliament, before the Supreme Court, and during election campaigns, it could not be treated lightly or postponed indefinitely. A promise, Abdullah argued, must carry weight and credibility, particularly when it concerns the democratic rights and constitutional status of an entire region.

Urging the Centre to present a clear and transparent roadmap, Abdullah said the people of J&K deserved to know the specific conditions, if any, linked to the restoration of statehood. Drawing an analogy with the education system, the Chief Minister said that just as students are told the marks required to pass or achieve distinction, the people should similarly be informed of the benchmarks they are expected to meet. Without such clarity, Abdullah said, the continued delay only deepened public uncertainty and mistrust.

Reiterating that the elected government in J&K was honouring its own commitments, Abdullah asked the Centre to explain why its promise remained unfulfilled. Statehood, the Chief Minister said, was not a partisan demand but a collective aspiration, regardless of whether people had voted for the National Conference, Congress, BJP or any other party. According to him, voters had participated in the democratic process with the hope that what was perceived as an injustice to J&K would be corrected.

Referring to the 2019 decision to downgrade the erstwhile state into a Union Territory, Abdullah said the move had been experienced by many as a form of punishment. The Chief Minister also recalled assurances made by the BJP during the 2024 Assembly election period, noting that participation in elections had been explicitly linked to the promise of statehood. While the BJP did not form the government in J&K, Abdullah said, the central government remained under BJP control and therefore could not distance itself from those assurances.

Abdullah pointed out that the BJP itself had laid out a three-step sequence: delimitation, elections and then restoration of statehood. Delimitation, the Chief Minister said, had been completed, and elections had followed, including both Parliamentary and Assembly polls in 2024. Despite this, more than one-and-a-half years had passed since the elected government took office, with no movement on the final step. The Chief Minister said this raised serious questions about the sincerity of the commitment made to the people.

The Chief Minister also took aim at the BJP over the implementation of women's reservation in legislatures. While reiterating support for greater representation of women, Abdullah questioned the timing and intent of the legislation, arguing that delimitation could not be justified without conducting a census. Recalling the delimitation exercise in J&K, Abdullah alleged that the process had been used to consolidate political control, noting that six of the seven newly created seats had gone to the BJP. Abdullah added that, despite these efforts, electoral outcomes had shown that such designs did not fully succeed.

Concluding the address, Abdullah said the National Conference would continue to raise these issues forcefully and consistently. Questioning the Centre and holding it accountable, the Chief Minister said, was a democratic responsibility, even if such scrutiny made those in power uncomfortable. End it