SRINAGAR: Omar Abdullah was sworn in today as Chief Minister of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, following his National Conference party’s victory in the recent elections, which have faced widespread criticism as being illegitimate.
The oath-taking ceremony occurred at the Kashmir International Convention Centre in Srinagar, where Manoj Sinha, the Lieutenant Governor of IIOJK appointed by the Modi government, administered the oath to Omar Abdullah and his council of ministers. Surinder Choudhary, a senior National Conference leader, also took the oath as Deputy Chief Minister.
This is Omar Abdullah’s first term as Chief Minister since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
Notable attendees included prominent political figures such as Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with other National Conference leaders who came to support Abdullah on this significant occasion.
For the first time in a decade, IIOJK will have an elected government after the territory’s assembly was dissolved in 2018.
In the 90 assembly seats of IIOJK, the National Conference and Congress collectively secured 48 seats, while the BJP won 29, and the PDP captured three. Additionally, AAP’s Mehraj Malik achieved the party’s first electoral victory in the occupied territory, with the remaining seats going to independent candidates.
Despite the elections, many people in occupied Jammu and Kashmir view the newly formed government as a temporary solution to address their everyday issues. Their primary demand remains the right to self-determination, as outlined in UN Security Council resolutions, to secure a lasting resolution to the region’s political future.
The pursuit of self-determination is deeply rooted in Kashmir’s history, dating back to the 1949 UN Commission for India and Pakistan resolution advocating for a free and impartial plebiscite. The ongoing quest for this right highlights the vital role of the international community in supporting the Kashmiri people’s struggle for dignity and fundamental rights.
