Article 370's repeal may have deterred PoK reunion: Omar Abdullah

Srinagar, June 20: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that had Article 370 remained in place, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) may have sought to rejoin the union territory. Speaking at an event honouring his grandfather and former Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Mr Abdullah invoked the 1947 resistance movement and reflected on the region's historical ties.

“If Article 370 had stayed, perhaps the people of PoK would have felt an affinity to return to the fold of Jammu and Kashmir,” Mr Abdullah said, according to reports. He emphasised that the special status provision had served as a constitutional bridge, giving the region a distinct identity within the Indian Union. The abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, he argued, fundamentally altered the political and emotional landscape.

Article 370 had granted Jammu and Kashmir a special autonomous status, allowing it to have its own constitution and laws on matters other than defence, foreign affairs, finance, and communications. The provision was abrogated by the Parliament, and the state was bifurcated into two union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The move was challenged in the Supreme Court, which upheld it as constitutional in December 2023.

Mr Abdullah's remarks come amid ongoing debate over the future of PoK. The region, administered by Pakistan, has been a point of contention between India and Pakistan since the 1947 partition. India has consistently maintained that PoK is an integral part of its territory and has called for the return of the region to Indian control.

Addressing the gathering, Mr Abdullah also paid tribute to Sheikh Abdullah, who led the resistance against the Dogra rule and played a pivotal role in Jammu and Kashmir's accession to India in 1947. He referred to the “1947 resistance” as a landmark movement that shaped the region's political trajectory. The Chief Minister urged the younger generation to study the history of the movement, which he said was often misunderstood.

His statement drew mixed reactions from political quarters. While supporters of the National Conference dubbed it a farsighted observation, critics accused him of indulging in speculative talk. BJP leaders rejected the assertion, stating that PoK is already an integral part of India and that Article 370 had no bearing on the issue.

Political analysts note that Mr Abdullah's statement could be seen as an attempt to reassert the National Conference's stance on the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. The party has consistently demanded the restoration of Article 370, a promise it has made in its election manifestos. However, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre has ruled out any such move.

Observers suggest that the Chief Minister's remarks carry limited immediate political weight, but they highlight the ongoing emotional attachment to the pre-2019 constitutional framework. The Union government's narrative remains that the abrogation integrated the region fully with the rest of the country and brought development and peace.

Omar Abdullah, who assumed office as Chief Minister after the 2024 assembly elections, has been vocal about his opposition to the 2019 changes. His latest comments are likely to further intensify the political debate over the region's status as elections to the union territory's assembly approach later this year.

The event at which Mr Abdullah spoke was organised to commemorate the legacy of Sheikh Abdullah, a towering figure in the region's history. The Chief Minister's invocation of the 1947 resistance highlights how historical narratives continue to shape contemporary politics in Jammu and Kashmir.