Omar meets Amit Shah, discusses several issues concerning UT

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday attempted to build bridges by calling on Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. 

The meeting between the two leaders immediately triggered rumour mills in the Union Territory, as the same took place after the BJP’s spectacular performance in the recent Assembly polls.

Though no details emerged on what transpired during the meeting, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had dropped clear hints that he was going to New Delhi to discuss issues concerning the Union territory, including restoration of statehood.

Before leaving for the national capital, the chief minister told reporters in Srinagar that he would discuss all the issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir.

“I wish we could have got our statehood after one meeting with the home minister. If that were the case, we would have got it a long time ago. But yes, I will raise statehood, business rules and other issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir in the meeting,” he said.

According to the political grapevine, the National Conference leadership is hoping to initiate a fresh round of dialogue with the centre in order to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest.

To mend the ties with the centre, Omar Abdullah has also stopped criticising the working of the office of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

A clear indication came when Abdullah said that there was “nothing wrong” in giving telecom powers to the Lieutenant Governor (LG) during public safety events, as he holds the charge of security and law and order.

“This is the right thing. These powers should be with the lieutenant governor. This is not against the business rules or the reorganisation act,” the chief minister told reporters.

He said that orders to stop phone services or internet are issued by the home department, which comes under the LG.

The Centre last week authorised the Jammu and Kashmir LG to exercise powers, such as interception of signals, suspension of service and decryption of messages, related to telecom services in the UT during public safety events or national emergencies.

According to the order issued on Thursday, the President directed the LG to exercise the powers and discharge the functions of the state government under Sub-Section 20 (2) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 (44 of 2023), which deals with situations involving public safety and national security, within the UT.