J&K CM Omar Abdullah Blames LG Manoj Sinha for Pahalgam Attack, condemns BJP for vilifying 1931 martyrs
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah addresses a press conference | PTI
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that the recent terror attack in Pahalgam was not the failure of his elected government, but of the lieutenant governor (LG).
Speaking to a news channel, Omar said, “The LG himself admitted that what happened in Pahalgam was his failure. That failure almost pushed us into a war with Pakistan. You can’t blame the elected government for that.”
Omar was reacting a day after he and his cabinet were placed under house arrest and stopped from visiting the Martyrs' Graveyard in Srinagar on Martyrs’ Day, July 13. “We only wanted to pay our respects at the graveyard. If we had been quietly allowed to go, no one would have noticed. But someone wanted to turn it into a national story—and they succeeded,” he said.
In a symbolic act of protest, Omar and other National Conference (NC) leaders, including his father Farooq Abdullah and senior leader Sakina Itoo, went to the graveyard the following day. With police trying to stop them, Omar climbed over the closed gate to offer prayers for the 1931 martyrs.
He said the way they were treated shows how the Union government is trying to weaken the elected government in Jammu and Kashmir. “This is not about me or my colleagues. It’s about the message being sent to the people: your vote, your voice, your emotions don’t matter,” Omar said. “If this continues, don’t be surprised if only 20 per cent of the people turn up to vote. And don’t blame us for that.”
He accused the Centre, especially the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), of trying to show the elected government as weak so that people lose faith in democratic institutions. “They think people will start supporting them. That won’t happen. People will just stop voting altogether,” he warned.
Omar also questioned why the 1931 martyrs of Kashmir are not respected like other freedom fighters across India. “In the rest of India, those who fought the British are celebrated. In Jammu and Kashmir, they are ignored or vilified—just because they were Muslims. If they belonged to any other religion, the BJP would be honouring them,” he said.
Reminding the Union government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promise to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, Omar pointed out that the delimitation and elections have already been completed. “The Supreme Court has also said that statehood must be restored as soon as possible. So what are you waiting for? What’s the right time, if not now?” he asked.
Omar said the NC will continue its struggle through democratic means but will not remain silent. “We will make sure Delhi hears the people of Jammu and Kashmir—peacefully, but firmly. If they choose to ignore us, we will decide our next steps,” he added.
The events of July 13 have deepened the divide between the elected government in Srinagar and the unelected administration backed by Delhi. Many now see this as a turning point in Centre-state relations and a troubling sign for the future of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir.
India