Srinagar: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Abdul Waheed Para has criticized Omar Abdullah’s recent resolution calling for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, arguing that it represents a retreat from the promise to restore Article 370, which was revoked in August 2019.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Para, a legislator from Pulwama, expressed his concerns on X (formerly Twitter), stating that the resolution focuses solely on statehood and essentially ratifies the Indian government’s August 5, 2019, decision to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special status. He noted that the resolution marks a significant shift in the political discourse, particularly for those who sought electoral support on the basis of restoring Article 370.

“Omar Abdullah’s first resolution on statehood is nothing less than ratification of the August 5th, 2019 decision. No resolution on Article 370 and scaling down the demand to mere statehood is a huge setback, especially after seeking votes on the promise of restoring Article 370,” Para said.