Failed as CM, can’t cite terror attack to demand statehood: Omar in J&K House

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said he was not able to uphold the responsibility of sending the 25 tourists, who were killed in the recent Pahalgam terror attack, safely back to their homes. A local resident was also killed in the incident.

Speaking during a one-day special session of the J&K Assembly, Omar said, “As the Chief Minister and Minister of Tourism, I bore the responsibility of having invited the visitors and ensuring their safe return”. The Chief Minister felt he failed to uphold the responsibility. “It was my responsibility to send these people back to their homes safely,” he said.

Omar said he would not use the terror attack to demand statehood from the Centre as it would be “cheap politics”.

Reiterating that security responsibilities in J&K were not under the elected government, Omar said, “I have too much respect for the sanctity of these 26 lives to indulge in petty politics. I do not want to use this occasion to demand statehood or any other political gain today. My politics is not so cheap. I will not use the 26 people who died to demand statehood.”

A resolution was passed in the Assembly denouncing the Pahalgam attack which read, “This House unequivocally condemns the heinous and cowardly act that resulted in the loss of innocent lives. Such acts of terror are a direct assault on the ethos of Kashmiriyat, the values enshrined in our Constitution and the spirit of unity, peace and harmony that have long characterised J&K and our nation.”

Omar assured the Assembly that discussions around governance, rights and aspirations would take place at an appropriate time, “but today was a day solely for grief, solidarity and resolve”.

In an emotional address, Omar said the ambush in Pahalgam was an attack on the soul of India as people from different corners of the country were killed. He highlighted that the victims hailed from across India, from Arunachal Pradesh to Gujarat and from Kerala to J&K, symbolising a national tragedy.

Highlighting the protest demonstrations that took place across the UT, Omar said people got united in pain with the rest of the country and came out on their own. “From Kathua to Kupwara, ordinary citizens raised banners and placards reading ‘Not in my name’, distancing themselves from terrorism without any political prompting. Candlelight marches were held and rallies were conducted to say that we do not support this attack,” the CM said.

He said the unity among people with the rest of the country should be seen as a ray of hope and should be taken forward. “Terrorism will end when people will be with us…this is a start of that opportunity if we work in a positive direction… there should be no steps that take people away from us… We can control militancy with gun but it will end if people are with us,” he said.

The Chief Minister expressed gratitude to the Lieutenant Governor for convening the special session and emphasised the significance of the Assembly to understand the gravity of this tragic loss of innocent lives. “No other Parliament or Assembly can understand the pain of these 26 innocent lives lost, as much as this House does,” he said.

He also remembered relatives of present MLAs from different parties who were killed in terror incidents.

Omar said despite hopes that terrorism was a chapter of the past, the brutal attack in Pahalgam marked the tragic return of terror involving death of so many civilians after 22 years. Remembering his own presence at the police control room to pay the last respects, he spoke of the profound helplessness he felt facing the bereaved families. “What apology would ever suffice,” he asked.

Narrating the heart-wrenching words of a newlywed young woman who had lost her husband in the attack, Omar underscored the senselessness of the violence.

He cited a significant moment of mourning at the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, where a two-minute silence was observed after Friday prayers — an act, he said, carried profound meaning for every Kashmiri.

He also narrated stirring examples of humanity shown by ordinary Kashmiris like a pony rider risking his life to save tourists, a humble fruit seller on Dal Lake offering free meals to stranded visitors despite meagre earnings and taxi drivers, hoteliers and boatmen opening their hearts and homes to guests.

However, he warned against the spread of false and fake information through news, noting that while most information shared was true, even a small percentage of misinformation could cause significant harm. “We will not tolerate it,” he said.

J & K