Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that no compromise would be made on the unity of the Union Territory. He described demands for division as misleading and contrary to the long-term interests of the Jammu region.
Addressing the concluding session of the National Conference’s two-day block presidents’ conference, the Chief Minister said that calls to divide Jammu and Kashmir were misleading the public and jeopardising the future of the Jammu region. He stated that the National Conference’s position was that no division on regional or religious lines would be accepted and said this reflected the government’s stated policy.
The conference, chaired by National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, began on Monday and included discussions among party leaders and workers on organisational matters and grassroots issues.
During his address, the Chief Minister referred to the restoration of the ‘Darbar Move’ on October 16 last year, saying the decision fulfilled an election commitment of the National Conference government. He described the ‘Darbar Move’ as a practice under which the government functions for six months each in Jammu and Srinagar, a system introduced nearly 150 years ago during Dogra rule to maintain administrative balance between the two regions.
Omar Abdullah recalled that the practice was discontinued in June 2021 by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. He said the decision affected the interests of the Jammu region and stated that administrative decisions such as the suspension of the ‘Darbar Move’ had a direct impact on the public.
The Chief Minister also criticised statements by BJP leaders supporting the discontinuation of the ‘Darbar Move’ and referring to the closure of medical colleges. He said such positions did not serve the interests of the Jammu region.
Reiterating his government’s stance, Omar Abdullah said the administration remained committed to preserving the territorial integrity of Jammu and Kashmir and would not allow any approach that undermined the region’s shared identity.
