Srinagar, May 1: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said that no decision has been taken to drop Urdu, asserting that the government has merely sought public feedback and accused the opposition PDP of spreading misinformation.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the integration of two new blocks of the estate department in Pampore, Chief Minister Omar said, “There is no droppage of Urdu. God save us from such people who cannot differentiate between truth and falsehood. Unfortunately, this group and its leadership see nothing beyond lies.”
He said the government had asked critics to show any official order where Urdu had been removed. “They only showed the order where we invited public comments. If one cannot understand the difference between seeking feedback and dropping a subject, then it is unfortunate,” he added.
Referring to PDP leader Iltija Mufti’s protest, Omar Abdullah said, “She is educated, but perhaps she still needs to understand the difference between asking for public comments and actually dropping a subject. The file regarding any such proposal is still on my table. I have not approved it, nor do I intend to.”
He said while a proposal may have come from the department, it has not been cleared.
“As an elected government, it is our responsibility to seek public feedback. The order issued was only for that purpose. Those who have nothing constructive to offer are trying to push their politics based on falsehood,” he said.
Linking the controversy to last year’s Rajya Sabha polls, Omar alleged that the PDP was attempting to divert public attention from its alleged role in aiding the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“That’s why they are talking Urdu Urdu… This is the magic of a magician — you show something with one hand and do something else with the other,” he remarked.
The October 2025 Rajya Sabha elections—the first in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370—saw the National Conference win three seats, while the BJP’s Sat Sharma secured the fourth with 32 votes, exceeding its legislative strength and fuelling allegations of cross-voting. Information obtained through an RTI revealed that the National Conference, Congress and BJP had appointed two authorised agents each, while the PDP—despite having three legislators at the time did not appoint any agent.
Omar further alleged that the PDP was trying to shift focus from its alleged role in aiding the BJP.
“They helped the BJP in the Rajya Sabha polls and do not want people to pay attention to it, so they are raising the Urdu issue,” he claimed. He also blamed the PDP for the current political situation in Jammu and Kashmir, alleging that past decisions had long-term consequences. “Whatever we are suffering today is the result of bringing the BJP here and settling it. Even today, they are helping them internally. I have always said this,” he added.