Omar Abdullah quotes Frost, vows to reverse Article 370 changes

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said his party, the National Conference (JKNC), is firmly committed to reversing all administrative and constitutional changes that followed the abrogation of Article 370. In a post on X, Abdullah quoted American poet Robert Frost's 'Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening', writing, '7 years, we haven't forgotten & we haven't reconciled, far less accepted our current circumstances.' The central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, repealed Article 370 on 5 August 2019, ending the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and dividing it into two Union Territories.

On Tuesday, former Chief Minister and NC president Farooq Abdullah called on the Centre to honour its promise of restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. 'The government should fulfil its promise, they have promised the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the country,' he said. The NC has repeatedly demanded the restoration of statehood, which it says was assured in Parliament and before the Supreme Court.

Prime Minister Modi, marking seven years since the abrogation, said the move 'ushered in a decisive new chapter' and brought about 'wide-ranging transformation' in the region. He posted on X that Articles 370 and 35(A) 'became history' on that day, enabling the full application of the Constitution in the erstwhile state.