Amid protests from fruit growers over the closure of the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway due to landslides, Omar Abdullah criticized the Central government’s handling of the situation. He said that if the Centre could not maintain the highway, it should hand over responsibility to the Jammu and Kashmir government.

Abdullah noted that the Central government had made repeated assurances about reopening the road, but the promises were not fulfilled, leaving the highway non-functional for days.

He stated, “The highway falls under the domain of the Central government. If they can’t handle this, then let them hand it over to us. We are waiting patiently. I will speak to the Union Minister for Highways today and request that the highway be handed over to us so we can restore it for truck movement.”

Acknowledging the severe losses faced by the fruit industry, Abdullah highlighted that many apple-laden trucks were stranded and the produce was rotting.

To address the crisis, he reiterated his request to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for a dedicated cargo train service, arguing that the single ceremonial train flagged off earlier was insufficient. “We are thankful for the one train started, but it should run continuously so that fruit growers benefit,” he said.

Abdullah also welcomed the Supreme Court’s order staying the Waqf Amendment Act, calling it a “good development.” He said the ruling validated his government’s earlier claim that the bill unfairly targeted followers of a single religion.

On the High Court’s ruling in the case of Mehraj Malik, the MLA arrested under the Public Safety Act (PSA), Abdullah said the decision proved that Malik’s detention was unjustified. “The government should admit its mistake and release Malik at the earliest, without creating further controversy. As per the court’s order, police should continue their investigation and present any fresh evidence to the court. However, the PSA case should be withdrawn,” he added.