Srinagar, Aug 15, 2025 : National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Friday pledged full support to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s recently announced door-to-door signature campaign for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, promising it will be pursued “vigorously.”
Speaking to reporters after attending the Independence Day function at Bakshi Stadium, Farooq said the initiative was a strong response to the Supreme Court’s recent observation linking the restoration of statehood to the Pahalgam terror attack.
“The campaign will be run, and it will be a vigorous campaign,” he asserted.
The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice B R Gavai, had stressed the need to assess the “ground situation” before restoring statehood, noting that “incidents like Pahalgam” could not be ignored.
In his Independence Day address, Omar Abdullah announced plans to use the eight weeks given by the apex court to the Centre to collect signatures across all 90 assembly segments. “If people are not ready to sign the document, I will accept defeat,” he declared, vowing to take public voices “to the doors where decisions are made.”
Farooq Abdullah described the CM’s speech as a “clear and strong message.” He said attending the Independence Day function after several years stirred mixed emotions. “There were tears and happiness. Tears because we had Article 370, Article 35A, and statehood — and now all that is gone,” he said.
On the Kishtwar cloudburst, Farooq expressed deep concern, claiming over 500 people could still be trapped under debris, with some local estimates putting the figure closer to 1,000. “We do not know for sure, but it is a moment of sadness,” he added.
