Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday asserted that Article 370 was never responsible for Jammu and Kashmir's developmental challenges, and that its abrogation had not resulted in any extraordinary economic transformation in the region either.
Speaking at The Hindu Huddle, Omar said J&K's economic and developmental struggles were rooted in nearly three decades of militancy and instability, which had discouraged investors and businesses from operating in the region.
"People will not invest money in a part of the country that they deem to be unsafe. The perception that Jammu and Kashmir was an unsafe place to visit or do business in is what hurt us, not Article 370," he said.
The Chief Minister accused the BJP of using Article 370 as a political tool, pointing out that similar constitutional protections — including restrictions on land ownership and entry permits — continue to exist in Lakshadweep and parts of the Northeast without attracting comparable criticism. "That was the stick used to beat us with," he said.
On the restoration of statehood, Omar reiterated it remains his government's foremost priority, while acknowledging uncertainty about the conditions required for its return. "My target is to achieve statehood, yet I have no idea what goals I have to achieve to reach that point," he said, adding that governance under the current Union Territory framework limits the powers of the elected government.
"It is better to be a state than a Union Territory. That is what we are trying to correct," he added.
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