{"id":82858,"date":"2024-10-30T23:50:53","date_gmt":"2024-10-30T18:20:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/?p=82858"},"modified":"2024-10-30T23:50:53","modified_gmt":"2024-10-30T18:20:53","slug":"chief-minister-omar-abdullah-engages-with-civil-society-at-skicc-pledges-dignity-democracy-development-for-jammu-kashmir","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/30\/chief-minister-omar-abdullah-engages-with-civil-society-at-skicc-pledges-dignity-democracy-development-for-jammu-kashmir\/","title":{"rendered":"Chief Minister Omar Abdullah engages with civil society at SKICC, Pledges dignity, democracy, development for Jammu & Kashmir"},"content":{"rendered":"

Vows to uphold dignity and rights for J&K citizens, emphasizing transparency in governance<\/strong>
\nSeeks civil society partnership to tackle drug addiction and strengthen democratic institutions<\/strong>
\nSRINAGAR, OCTOBER 30: In a significant interaction at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Center (SKICC), Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met with members of civil society to discuss key issues, reinforcing his commitment to dignity, democratic values, and sustainable development for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
\nAttendees included representatives from various sectors such as Trade, Tourism, Education, Industry, Health, and Transport, as well as Houseboat and Shikara Owners, Judiciary Members and former Civil Services Officers. Ministers and senior government officers, including Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, Ministers Sakeena Itoo, Javid Ahmad Dar, Javed Rana, Advisor to Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo and other top administrative and police officials were also present.
\nCivil Society representatives presented a wide range of concerns and suggestions to the Chief Minister, who engaged attentively in dialogue, emphasizing his government\u2019s commitment to transparency and public welfare.
\nReflecting on the fundamental rights of the people, the Chief Minister stated: \u201cIn our home, on our own land, don\u2019t we have the right to live with dignity? Should we accept a life of humiliation and harassment wherever we go? We may secure everything that\u2019s been flagged here, whether it\u2019s roads, electricity, or water, but if we can\u2019t live with dignity and our identity lacks value and honor, then all of this holds no real meaning. I want to assure you that we will fight for all that matters, but my first priority is to restore our dignity. We should have the first right to our lands, our employment, and our resources. Only then can we truly say that this country respects our honor and dignity.\u201d
\nHe underscored the importance of regular engagement with civil society, stating that we usually turn to civil society meetings in difficult times, but this time, we initiated the interaction right from the start.
\n\u201cEstablishing a regular contact is essential, and if we can meet at least twice a year, it would be of great significance,\u201d the chief minister maintained. Discussing the need for democratic governance, he said that for the last six years, we had no democratic setup here; there was a gap, and it was bound to create a disconnect.
\n\u201cThis is why people value democratic governments, as they bridge the relationship between the government and the people. Officers cannot replace the work of MLAs, sarpanches, or ministers,\u201d he reiterated and said \u201cNow that a democratic setup is in place, I reiterate that this government belongs to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. We are here to serve you, not for our luxuries.\u201d
\nThe Chief Minister expressed optimism about restoring Jammu and Kashmir\u2019s statehood, saying, \u201cThe current arrangement is temporary and I am confident we will regain our statehood. The challenges we face can and will be addressed.\u201d
\nHe further emphasized the need for genuine peace achieved through a cooperative atmosphere, acknowledging that everyone desires a peaceful, conducive environment in Kashmir.
\n\u201cBut I believe true peace requires partnership. It shouldn\u2019t be an enforced calm, but one born out of the will of the people so that they can live their lives peacefully.\u201d
\nThe Chief Minister also highlighted the importance of strengthening democratic institutions and preserving freedom of speech and said that our institutions need to be strengthened. Without freedom of speech, there is no real democracy.
\n\u201cI 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 organizations must be strengthened, creating an environment of peace and mutual respect,\u201d the chief minister stated.
\nReferring to his recent meetings with the Prime Minister and central ministers, Omar Abdullah maintained that he has received assurances from the Prime Minister and other ministers that the central government will support whatever is beneficial for Jammu and Kashmir\u2019s progress.
\n\u201cWhile we must strive to stand on our own, we need support and guidance during this transitional phase, and together, we will reach our goal,\u201d Omar said.
\nThe Chief Minister concluded by calling for collective efforts to tackle drug addiction: \u201cDrug addiction 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.\u201d
\nOmar assured that in future civil society meetings, an action report on the issues raised today will be presented, marking the beginning of a structured dialogue with periodic engagements to assess progress and identify areas for improvement.
\n\u201cThese discussions will ensure that we work together towards a responsive, transparent, and accountable government,\u201d the Chief Minister affirmed, expressing his gratitude for the constructive input from civil society representatives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Vows to uphold dignity and rights for J&K citizens, emphasizing transparency in governance Seeks civil society partnership to tackle drug addiction and strengthen democratic institutions SRINAGAR, OCTOBER 30: In a significant interaction at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Center (SKICC), Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met with members of civil society to discuss key issues, reinforcing his […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":82859,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-82858","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kashmir"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82858","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82858"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82858\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":82860,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82858\/revisions\/82860"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/82859"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82858"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=82858"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.khushalekashmir.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=82858"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}