'I find it difficult to use Union Territory and Jammu & Kashmir in the same sentence'

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on J&K’s statehood issue, being part of the INDIA Bloc and the state of Opposition in India. He was in conversation with Vandita Mishra, National Opinion Editor, The Indian Express

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In October, you completed one year of government. Does it come off easier on your tongue now, to say that you are Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir?

I find it very difficult to use the words Union Territory and Jammu & Kashmir in the same sentence. I hate being reminded that we are a UT. I don't remember ever being introduced as the Chief Minister of the State of Jammu & Kashmir when I was, so why should I be introduced as the Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, unless you are trying to drill it into us that we are a Union Territory?

There is a constant comparison drawn between your government vs LG and how the situation was in Delhi. While you have been Chief Minister of a full State, Arvind Kejriwal always had to contend with a powerful LG. Also, Kejriwal got into this power sharing arrangement with a confrontational approach. Yours has been much more conciliatory. One year on, do you think the change of approach has led to a different outcome?

In terms of the relationship between the government of J&K and the government of India, other than a couple of major issues on which we haven't made as much progress as I would have liked, particularly on the restoration of statehood, the government of India has been well disposed towards the government of J&K. So no complaints there. Unfortunately, the same has not been true in terms of our relationship with the LG, in spite of the fact that he has publicly said that he is only responsible for law and order and security. That has not translated on the ground. I can name institutions that should ordinarily have transferred to the elected government but haven't so far.

Can you give some examples of things you wanted to do but couldn't?