Statehood Restoration: JKPCC Chief leads hunger strike in Srinagar

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Chief Tariq Hameed Karra on Saturday began a hunger strike in Srinagar to press for the restoration of statehood.
Speaking at the launch of the protest at the party’s Srinagar office, Karra said the Government of India had downgraded Jammu and Kashmir to a Union Territory on August 5, 2019, after splitting it into two parts, and had assured on several occasions, both inside and outside Parliament, that statehood would be restored soon.
“It has been nine to ten months since the elections, but no steps have been taken. Their intentions seem doubtful and their words are different from their actions,” Karra alleged, adding that the JKPCC had been holding programmes across all 20 districts of the J&K to highlight the demand.
Karra said the ongoing agitation had been planned in two phases, including outreach programmes from August 1 to 4 with civil society members, traders, transporters and other stakeholders and protests marking August 5 as a ‘black day’ in all districts.
He claimed that in some districts, party workers were prevented from leaving their homes on August 5. “Even today, we have videos from our district presidents showing how they were stopped,” he said.
He said that the hunger strike programme, coinciding with the anniversary of the Quit India Movement, will run from August 9 to 20 in both Jammu and Kashmir divisions. He added that all district units will take turns to hold symbolic fasts in Srinagar and Jammu.
“Today Srinagar district is participating. Tomorrow, Anantnag will join, then Budgam, and similarly in Jammu. Every district will join to send a united message,” he said, adding that senior Congress leaders, including AICC General Secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir, were present at the launch.
The JKPCC Chief urged the Centre to bring a bill in Parliament during the current session to restore J&K’s constitutional status. “We will not stop until the statehood is returned,” he said