Srinagar: Apni Party, on Tuesday, held a protest demonstration demanding the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir before the assembly elections are held here. Prominent leaders of the party, along with senior workers, joined the procession. However, the police did not allow the procession to proceed towards the Press Colony in Srinagar.
The party leaders and senior workers gathered at the party headquarters and started the protest demonstrations. The party’s Senior Vice President, Ghulam Hassan Mir, led the procession, which was not allowed to proceed beyond Church Lane, outside the premises of the party headquarters.
The protesters raised slogans demanding the immediate restoration of all democratic rights to Jammu and Kashmir, especially its statehood. They were demanding the restoration of the statehood to J&K before the assembly elections are held here.
Talking to reporters, Ghulam Hassan Mir said, “The purpose of this protest is to remind the central government of its promises regarding the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The Prime Minister and the Home Minister of the country have promised that statehood to J&K will be restored soon. However, nearly five years have passed, and this promise remains unfulfilled. Instead, the people of J&K have been further disempowered and deprived of their rights through various initiatives during this period.”
“Apni Party demands the immediate restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. We want the restoration of the statehood that existed before August 5, 2019. Furthermore, we want the central government to respect the sentiments of the people and provide them with all the rights they are entitled to as per the constitution of the country,” Mir added.
Ghulam Hassan Mir condemned the police action halting party’s peaceful protest.
He said, “It was a peaceful protest conducted in a democratic manner for a genuine cause. It is disappointing that the government did not permit even this peaceful demonstration. In democracies, holding a peaceful protest is a fundamental right and is allowed in every civilized society. Preventing such a protest is a cowardly act by the government, and we condemn it.”
