Srinagar, Aug. 16 -- Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today announced to launch signature campaign for the restoration of statehood.

"We will not sit idle. Over the next eight weeks, we will reach all 90 Assembly constituencies, every village, every home, gathering signatures and thumb impressions from people on whether they want J&K to be a State again. If the people say they are satisfied with the current situation, I will accept defeat. But my heart tells me we will gather hundreds of thousands of signatures to present before the Central Government and the Supreme Court," he said.

He said that he was disappointed with observations made by the SC bench and the Pahalgam incident being used as an excuse to delay Statehood. CM said that rest...