Omar Abdullah reacts to Ladakh protests, says J&K feels betrayed over statehood

Reacting to the protest in Leh town of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said that Ladakh was not even promised statehood and the people had celebrated in 2010 after becoming a Union Territory and drew parallels to the demand for restoration of statehood in J&K.

'Ladakh was never promised statehood'

Omar said that even though Ladakh was never promised statehood, people there are now feeling betrayed and angry. One should imagine how betrayed the people of Jammu and Kashmir are feeling over the statehood issue.

"Ladakh wasn’t even promised Statehood, they celebrated UT status in 2019 & they feel betrayed & angry. Now try to imagine how betrayed & disappointed we in J&K feel when the promise of statehood to J&K remains unfulfilled even though we have gone about demanding it democratically, peacefully & responsibly," the Chief Minister stated in a post on X.

Also Read: Wangchuk appeals for 'peace' as Gen-Z protest turns violent; says 'damages our cause'

Slams BJP over statehood delay

Omar was referring to the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, which eliminated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, and it was bifurcated into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

During the day, Omar had alleged that restoration of statehood for J&K was getting delayed because the BJP failed to win the elections in the Union Territory. He further alleged that opposition to the restoration of statehood was coming from the BJP.

Also Read: Four years of protests and Centre’s apathy: Why Ladakh exploded

The backdrop

Earlier in the day, violent clashes erupted in Leh, Ladakh, during a protest for statehood and the inclusion of the region under the Sixth Schedule, resulting in the deaths of four individuals and injuries to 30 others.

The unrest began during a shutdown organised by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) in response to two protesters, who had been on a hunger strike since September 10, being hospitalised due to health concerns. The situation escalated as protesters retaliated violently against security forces, leading police to open fire to control the chaos.

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk expressed disappointment over the violence, attributing it to the frustration of younger generations who feel their peaceful protests have been ignored.