Srinagar, April 16: As the National Conference (NC) marks six months in power in Jammu & Kashmir, the mood on the ground is mixed—caught between symbolic gestures, incomplete promises, and rising opposition voices.
After the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 and the subsequent downgrade of the erstwhile state to a Union Territory, NC’s electoral comeback was hailed as a people’s mandate for the restoration of rights, dignity, and democratic governance.
The 2025 Budget, pegged at ₹1.12 lakh crore, was NC’s first major policy document. It offered increased allocations for employment generation, rural development, smart power metering, and social welfare.
Key announcements from the budget included a hike in pensions for the elderly, disabled, and widows, and the rollout of free bus services for women across Kashmir—a move widely appreciated for easing women’s mobility.
Political observers say that beneath the surface, discontent is brewing.
Despite clear promises, the NC government has failed to regularize daily wagers, many of whom have spent decades serving government departments on meager wages.
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Their protests outside the Chief Minister’s office in Srinagar and in Jammu have become frequent, yet no concrete decision has been taken.
Meanwhile, reservation category students, who protested last year against the revised reservation policy, feel abandoned. NC had vocally opposed the changes during its campaign but has taken no steps to amend or revoke the policy since taking office.
Opposition leaders have been scathing. Waheed ur Rehman Parra, senior PDP leader, recently accused the NC of failing to pass a resolution against the Waqf Amendment Bill, calling it a betrayal of community institutions.
“NC spoke against the central takeover of Waqf properties but didn’t have the courage to pass a resolution in the Assembly. This is silence by design, not by accident,” Parra said.
According to Parra, this contradicts NC’s earlier positioning, where it opposed the Waqf Amendment Bill, calling it an erosion of religious and regional autonomy.
While there were discussions and statements, no formal resolution was passed in the Assembly—raising questions about the party’s commitment to its stance.
Iltija Mufti, the young face of the PDP, said that NC has slipped into the comfort of power. “The slogans of dignity, statehood, and representation now sound like hollow campaign jingles.”
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People’s Conference Chairman and MLA from Handwara, Sajad Lone, has accused the NC government of governing through the same administrative manuals they once opposed.
However, NC did succeed in passing a resolution demanding the restoration of statehood—a politically significant move.
But with the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir still grappling with frequent power cuts, high unemployment, and major unresolved grievances, many now question whether the NC is truly leading a revival—or merely managing continuity under a different banner.
As the party enters its next six months, the pressure to act—not just announce—is only intensifying. Whether the Omar-led NC government will fulfill the long list of promises in its manifesto remains to be seen.
