Jammu and Kashmir would regain statehood 'very soon': Arjun Ram Meghwal

Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal on Tuesday said that Jammu and Kashmir would regain statehood “very soon”, drawing a cautious but hopeful response from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who said the people would feel fully satisfied only when the promise is implemented.

After attending a function at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC), here, Meghwal told reporters that the issue was “very sensitive” but reiterated that the Centre was committed to restoring statehood. Referring to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, he said assurances had already been given in the Lok Sabha.

“Our Home Minister has said in Parliament that Jammu and Kashmir will get its statehood. There is a process for it. I think you will soon hear about a decision,” Meghwal said, without specifying a timeline.

Reacting to the remarks, Omar said he had heard that “good news” might be forthcoming but stressed that expectations had been building for some time. “It has been one and a half years of wait. We hope we do not have to wait much longer,” he said.

The Chief Minister added that discussions with the Centre were ongoing, though the process had taken longer than anticipated. “We were expecting it by now. We have not given up hope. Our engagement with the Centre continues,” he said, asserting that no one in Jammu and Kashmir would be fully satisfied until statehood is formally restored.

Jammu and Kashmir ceased to be a state on August 5, 2019, when the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, which granted special status to the erstwhile state. The region was simultaneously bifurcated into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir, with a legislature, and Ladakh, without one.

In February 2021, Shah had told the Lok Sabha that the Union Territory status of Jammu and Kashmir was temporary and that statehood would be restored at an appropriate time. Since then, the Centre has repeatedly reiterated its commitment, linking restoration to due process and evolving conditions on the ground.

Restoration of statehood remains a key political demand in the Union Territory, with National Conference, smaller local parties and the Congress consistently pressing the Centre to honour its assurance. Meghwal’s latest remarks have once again raised expectations, even as political leaders in the region await a formal announcement.