JAMMU, Sep 26: Strongly reacting to the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly, Vilakshan Singh, President of the Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party Bhim (JKNPP – Bhim), today launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for linking the demand for the restoration of statehood with past resolutions on autonomy and special status.
Expressing grave concern over the wording of the resolution moved by the Chief Minister in the Assembly—which explicitly invoked the June 26, 2000 autonomy resolution and the November 6, 2024 resolution—Singh termed it a sinister design to resurrect divisive agendas that have historically harmed the interests of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly the Jammu region.
Vilakshan Singh categorically stated that neither “autonomy” nor “self-rule” serves the interests of the common people of Jammu and Kashmir. Instead, these concepts have consistently been weaponized as political tools by the National Conference and other Kashmir-centric parties to consolidate regional hegemony, marginalize non-Kashmiri populations, and systematically demoralize and discriminate against the proud Dogras of Jammu.
“The people of Jammu will never allow Kashmir-centric parties to exploit the genuine and legitimate demand for the restoration of full statehood to push through their expired agenda of autonomy and special status.” Singh asserted.
The Panthers Party Bhim President affirmed that while the restoration of full, uncompromised statehood is an aspiration shared by all people of J&K, conflating statehood with pre-2019 constitutional arrangements or autonomy resolutions is entirely unacceptable. He cautioned the government that the JKNPP Bhim would not tolerate any covert or overt maneuver aimed at bringing back special status or autonomy under the garb of statehood.
Singh further demanded that any resolution on statehood must be strictly focused on the complete democratic rights, administrative powers, and socio-economic welfare of the people of both Jammu and Kashmir provinces equally, without any reference to regressive autonomy formulas of the past.
He warned that if the ruling dispensation persists in promoting an agenda contrary to the interests of the Jammu region, the Panthers Party Bhim will not hesitate to take to the streets to defend the rights and dignity of the Dogras.