"My brand of politics is not so cheap that I would demand statehood at the cost of 26 lives," says Omar Abdullah :::::: "I have lost face" .... on Pahalgam tragedy

 Won't talk statehood at this time, I've lost face: Omar Abdullah on J&K attack

Expressing deep grief, Omar Abdullah said that, while the restoration of statehood remains an important goal, he would defer raising the demand for another time and not make human lives a political bargaining chip.

"My brand of politics is not so cheap that I would demand statehood at the cost of 26 lives," he said in the assembly, asserting that politics must have its limits, especially when human lives are involved.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday (April 28th) ruled out politicising the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives, saying he would not demand statehood for the Union Territory over the 'dead bodies' of innocent civilians. 

Expressing deep grief, the National Conference leader said that, while the restoration of statehood remains an important goal, he would defer raising the demand for another time and not make human lives a political bargaining chip. 

 "We are not in charge of law and order in Jammu and Kashmir," Abdullah said, adding, "But I will not use today's situation to demand statehood from the Centre. I won't demand statehood over dead bodies. We will demand it on another occasion."

"My brand of politics is not so cheap that I would demand statehood at the cost of 26 lives," he said, asserting that politics must have its limits, especially when human lives are involved.  

(Of course Omar Abdullah like his father Farooq Abdullah is a smart political operator. 

Hence his words have to be taken with a pinch of salt given the fact that even in the part, National Conference has done business with the BJP. 

 In fact, Omar was MoS External Affairs under Vajpayee but soon after the fall of BJP in Delhi; they have changed sides. ) 

Demand for statehood has been a long-standing issue between the Centre and the Opposition. The restoration of Article 370, the reinstatement of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood, and the implementation of the autonomy resolution are key promises outlined in the National Conference's manifesto for the Jammu and Kashmir elections.

In August 2019, the Modi Govt abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, stripping Jammu and Kashmir of its special status. 

While the National Conference has continued to press for the restoration of statehood, Omar Abdullah made it clear that political aspirations should not come at the cost of mourning lives lost to terrorism