Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has accused the Centre of betraying each Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir by failing to fulfil its guarantees and deepening distrust by way of delays in restoring Statehood.
Talking on the launch of senior journalist and creator Harinder Baweja’s newest e book, “They Will Shoot You, Madam: My life through conflict” on Sunday (September 28, 2025), Mr. Abdullah stated the federal government had did not comply with by way of by itself roadmap, first for Jammu and Kashmir and now for Ladakh, alleging that the latter was misled with “impossible” assurances.
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“When you wanted them (Ladakh) to participate in Hill Council elections, you promised them the Sixth Schedule. Everyone knew that giving the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh was nearly impossible. A region that shares frontiers with China on one side and Pakistan on the other requires a sizeable defence presence, which the Sixth Schedule makes impossible. Yet, you made promises to get electoral participation,” he said.
The 55-year-old additionally criticised the sudden shift within the stance in direction of Ladakhi leaders, particularly local weather activist Sonam Wangchuk.
Editorial | Distrust in Ladakh: On the violence, official aspirations
“A gentleman who, until yesterday, was praising the Prime Minister as an environmental warrior and thanking him profusely for 2019 for fulfilling the dreams of Ladakhis by giving UT status… nobody found fault with him then. Today, suddenly, we find a Pakistani connection. Two days ago, there was none. Where did it come from?” he requested.
The protests in help of the demand for Statehood and inclusion of Ladakh within the Sixth Schedule of the Structure took a violent activate September 24, leaving 4 folks lifeless and plenty of injured.
“You told us it was a three-stage process — first delimitation, then elections, and finally Statehood. The first two have been completed, but the third has gone nowhere. And then you wonder why there is a trust deficit,” he stated.
Mr. Abdullah cautioned that the belief deficit was eroding public religion, regardless of the unprecedented participation of Jammu and Kashmir residents in current polls — each Parliament and Meeting.
He additionally pointed to the current Supreme Court docket remarks on Statehood, the place petitioners urging the Centre to fulfil its promise of restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s standing have been advised to think about “ground realities” such because the Pahalgam terror assault.
Mr. Abdullah stated it was “deeply distressing” that the matter appeared to be tied to occasions throughout the border, asking, “Does Pakistan now decide whether Jammu & Kashmir should have Statehood?” “Because every time we come close to Statehood, something like Pahalgam will happen and again, we will be sent back,” he stated, asserting that Statehood can’t be used as a “carrot” for good behaviour.
Stressing that the problem is just not about Kashmir — the land — however about “Kashmiri” — the folks, Mr. Abdullah stated the folks need to really feel a real sense of possession once more.
“We make that small difference in the nomenclature, and you make a huge difference on the land… And they (the people) have shown it to you time and again over the last two years, three years. They want to be owned, they want to be listened to, they want to be respected,” he stated.
The panel dialogue was additionally joined by former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
“They Will Shoot You, Madam”, revealed by Roli Books, charts Baweja’s journey of venturing deep into battle zones, bringing to mild tales from troublesome terrains — from the bloodied streets of Punjab to the unstable battleground of Jammu and Kashmir, and onwards to Pakistan and ravaged Afghanistan.
