Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah asserted on Friday that the state’s government will not let social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter dictate its agenda.
Responding to the Motion of Thanks for the lieutenant governor’s address in the Assembly, Abdullah remarked, “Thankfully, I write a lot on Twitter, but I don’t read much. I want to reassure the people of Jammu Kashmir that our policies will be set by the public, not by social media users.”
The National Conference (NC) leader emphasized that elected representatives should be wary of forming policies based on social media trends.
“Do not base your policies on the University of WhatsApp or Facebook,” he cautioned. “Very few people engage with these platforms, and those who do, tend to forget about you for years, only to remember you again now.”
The Chief Minister also addressed inconsistencies among some MLAs, particularly from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), regarding a resolution passed by the Assembly to restore Jammu Kashmir’s special status. He suggested that these shifts in stance might be influenced by social media discussions.
“The change in their approach is likely due to comments on WhatsApp and Facebook,” he added.
Without naming individuals, Abdullah criticized those who had initially supported the resolution, calling it historic, but later opposed it. “I do not understand how a historic resolution can turn into a compromise in just 15 minutes. Passing a resolution that the Centre will immediately dismiss is easy for anyone,” he said.
He defended the resolution, asserting that it reflected the people of Jammu and Kashmir’s rejection of the Centre’s decisions on August 5, 2019, when the government revoked Article 370, which granted special rights to the region, and bifurcated it into Union Territories.
Abdullah added, “If it were merely a compromise, there would be no need for such discussions. The Home Minister’s focus on it indicates that it opens doors, not closes them. We crafted the language to ensure it would not be constricting.”