G.L.Raina
The periodic clamour for the restoration of statehood in Jammu & Kashmir – mostly orchestrated by the National Conference (NC) and its allies – has become a predictable political strategy. It resurfaces not as a serious policy demand but as a deflection mechanism, deployed with precision each time governance failures become too obvious to ignore.
This recurring pattern reveals an uncomfortable truth: for the NC, statehood is not a constitutional objective but a rhetorical shield, employed to mask deep-rooted administrative inadequacies and political escapism. A clear pattern has emerged: each time their governance record is called into question, statehood becomes the convenient smoke screen.
A Promise Made, A Condition Explained
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on the floor of the Rajya Sabha on August 5, 2019, made a categorical assurance “As soon as the situation becomes normal, and when the right time comes, we have no objection in making it a state again… We are not interested in prolonging it.” This assurance has since been reiterated multiple times by the Government of India. However, instead of fostering the very stability and progress required to facilitate that transition, NC leaders continue to indulge in provocations and irresponsible rhetoric-ironically validating the caution expressed by the Home Minister on the very day of Article 370’s abrogation. Home Minister had alerted on floor of the Parliament, “But the way the speeches were being made today, I feel that it will take a little longer, because these speeches are going to be repeated later in the Kashmir valley also. If the situation becomes normal, then we are not interested in prolonging it any longer and neither do we want to do it”. This was not just a statement of intent – it was a clear conditional commitment based on stability, normalcy, and cooperative political conduct.
Ironically, the behaviour of the NC and its leadership since then has only reinforced the Centre’s caution. Instead of contributing to an environment conducive to full statehood, they have repeatedly chosen provocation over partnership, posturing over performance, and blame games over bold reforms.
Governance Deficit and Unfulfilled Promises
The 2024 electoral campaign saw the NC make ambitious promises to the electorate – promises that now lie in neglect. A party that vowed to dismantle bureaucratic inefficiency and red tape has itself become captive to institutional inertia. Despite the Centre’s consistent push for digitalization, ease of governance, and citizen-centric service delivery, basic administrative responsiveness remains elusive in J&K. Their manifesto brimmed with lofty promises-digital reform, job creation, power decentralization, and relief for the economically weak. They promised: One lakh jobs within three months through a Youth Employment Act. Filling all government vacancies within 180 days. 200 free electricity units, 12 LPG cylinders annually for the poor. A comprehensive job package through mini hydro and solar projects. Establishment of a Minority Commission, rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, and implementation of WADA (War Against Drug Abuse).
Yet, nearly a year later, none of these promises have translated into meaningful action. Bureaucratic red tape remains untouched. Public grievances remain unaddressed. The political capital they earned has been squandered through silence, inefficiency, and blame games.
Escapist Politics Masquerading as Assertiveness
The post-election period has been defined less by governance and more by political theatrics. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s performative wall-jumping stunts to party spokespersons resorting to conspiracy narratives after terror attacks like the tragic incident at Bhaisaran, the ruling party appears more interested in curating political drama than in executing administrative responsibility. Instead of reviewing lapses crisis response mechanisms, the NC chose to blame the Centre, vilify tourists, and indulge in divisive rhetoric. The suggestion that J&K needs “quality tourists” – not quantity – reflects a disturbingly elitist and sectarian mindset, especially when tourism is one of the few inclusive engines of economic growth in the region.
Such remarks do more than just insult national sentiment – they directly undermine J&K’s fragile economic recovery and alienate the very stakeholders whose participation is essential to long-term peace. NC’s current political posture is defined by confrontation, not collaboration. Instead of addressing institutional gaps or improving service delivery, the ruling party in J&K has chosen to politicize tragedies, demonize tourists, and play identity-based politics.
The National Security Lens
One cannot discuss statehood in isolation from national security. Poor governance, social discontent, and political alienation provide fertile ground for radical elements to exploit. The Centre’s heavy investments in infrastructure, education, health, and connectivity in J&K – from AIIMS to new highways, sports infrastructure to digital outreach – are aimed at long-term stabilization. But investments cannot substitute for local administrative will. If the political class is disengaged, if bureaucracy remains opaque, and if local governance continues to be politicized, then these gains risk being neutralized. By focusing on emotional issues and jurisdictional posturing rather than structural reform, the NC is not only neglecting its core responsibility-it is actively undermining the very conditions required for restoring statehood.
No More Excuses
For a long time, NC leaders hid behind the notion of a “dual power structure” and the Lieutenant Governor’s overriding role. But even Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has now admitted that the LG’s involvement is limited largely to law and order. So who is accountable for stalled development, broken promises, and public alienation? It is time the NC leadership stopped hiding behind the veil of statehood debates and started delivering on the mandate they sought. Governance is not symbolic; it is structural. It is measured not by slogans, but by outcomes. And yet, what we see is a government still stuck in a Cold War-era political vocabulary: blaming New Delhi, romanticizing pre-2019 politics, and dodging responsibility behind the shield of “statehood denial.”
Conclusion: Leadership Must Match the Moment
We are in an era where public scrutiny is sharper than ever. The digital age has no patience for incompetence dressed up as activism. Bureaucratic patronage, discretionary transfers, and emotional symbolism-tools that once propped up parties like NC-are fast becoming relics of a bygone era. NC and Kashmir centric politicians must either embrace the responsibilities of modern governance or risk permanent irrelevance in a digital democracy where public memory is sharp and unforgiving.
Jammu & Kashmir deserves efficient, transparent, and forward-looking leadership-not escapism disguised as advocacy. The question is not when statehood will be restored-it will, as promised, when the situation warrants it.The real question is: Will the present leadership rise above political opportunism and deliver governance worthy of the people’s aspirations?
Until then, invoking statehood remains a tired excuse-one that no longer fools the people of Jammu & Kashmir.
(The writer is former MLC)
