Hoping that the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir would soon be a state again, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday asserted he will fight for the restoration of its dignity.

During an interaction with the members of civil society at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) here, Abdullah said he was hopeful that the system of a UT will not remain for long, “and we will get our statehood back”.

“It is after a long time that the people’s government has returned. I have been a chief minister before but the circumstances were different.

“There is a lot of difference between the situation then and now,” he said.

The chief minister said while the government will strive to fulfil the people’s aspirations about electricity, roads, water, employment or other issues, “but if we cannot live with dignity, if there is no respect of our identity, then all these things are meaningless”.

He said he wanted to assure the people that “we will fight for all these things, but what I want the most is to restore our dignity”. He received a huge applause from the audience.

The chief minister said the people of JK should have a right on their land, their jobs and “first right on our resources”.

“Then we can say that we truly are a part of this country, that the respect or dignity that we should get in this country, has been given to us,” Abdullah said.

He said he wants to establish a regular contact and interaction with the civil society. A democratic system has been established now after a very long time, he said.

“This is your government. I have been saying this that this is not our government, but of the people.

“We are your servants. We are here to serve the people and not for our luxuries,” he said.

Emphasising the need for genuine peace achieved through a cooperative atmosphere, Abdullah said everyone desires a peaceful and conducive environment in Kashmir.

“But I believe true peace requires partnership. It shouldn’t be an enforced calm but one born out of the will of the people so that they can live their lives peacefully,” he added.

The chief minister also highlighted the importance of strengthening democratic institutions and preserving freedom of speech.

“Without freedom of speech, there is no real democracy. I know my colleagues and I might often be the first targets of this freedom but that is the essence of democracy.

“Press, judiciary, bar associations, labour unions and other organisations must be strengthened, creating an environment of peace and mutual respect,” he said.

Referring to his recent meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and central ministers, Abdullah maintained he has received assurances from them that the central government will support whatever is beneficial for JK’s progress.

“While we must strive to stand on our own, we need support and guidance during this transitional phase. And together, we will reach our goal,” he said.

He called for collective efforts to tackle drug addiction, saying it is a grave issue that threatens to hollow us from within.

The government will play its part but civil society, religious institutions and leaders must also step up.

“I earnestly seek your cooperation in saving our youth from this menace. We must strengthen drug rehabilitation efforts and work together to prevent this blight from taking root,” he said. 

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)