• CM Omar, Dr Farooq lead JKN’s Jantar Mantar demonstration
• Party Says “Movement will continue till statehood is restored”
Srinagar/New Delhi :The ruling National Conference (NC) on Monday intensified its campaign for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood by staging a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, led by party president Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
The demonstration, attended by senior NC leaders, legislators and workers, sought fulfillment of the Centre’s assurance to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Similar protests were also held across several districts of the Union Territory in support of the demand.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the protest was aimed at reminding the Union Government of the commitments made in Parliament and before the Supreme Court regarding the restoration of statehood.
He said the National Conference would continue its democratic struggle until the promise was fulfilled. Omar reiterated that restoring statehood remained the party’s immediate priority and reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing other constitutional and political issues through democratic means.
The protest in New Delhi was led by National Conference President Dr. Farooq Abdullah and attended by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament from both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, MLAs, senior party leaders, office-bearers, and representatives of the Youth and Women’s Wings.
During the protest, Delhi Police imposed restrictions on the demonstrators and also resorted to tear gas shelling. Protesters carried placards demanding the restoration of the rights and dignity of the people of Jammu & Kashmir, the restoration of statehood, and the fulfillment of commitments made by the Central Government.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Farooq Abdullah said that the party had assembled in the national capital to seek the restoration of the rights, dignity and honour of the people of Jammu & Kashmir, along with the full restoration of statehood.
He said they had come to remind the Central Government of the promises made by the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister. He noted that these assurances had also been made before Parliament, the Supreme Court and the people of Jammu & Kashmir, and stressed that the time had come for those promises to be honoured.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the delegation had travelled to the country’s capital to peacefully demand what rightfully belongs to the people of Jammu & Kashmir, but regretted that even peaceful protest was not being permitted.
He said democratic rights were being curtailed, adding that the party had intended to stage a peaceful sit-in at Jantar Mantar to remind the Central Government of its commitment, made in Parliament and before the Supreme Court, to restore Jammu & Kashmir’s statehood soon after the Assembly elections.
He further stated that the Supreme Court had directed that the restoration of statehood should take place at the earliest. If the Government did not intend to comply with the Court’s observations, it should state so openly, he said, instead of repeatedly assuring that statehood would be restored at an “appropriate time” without ever defining what that appropriate time was.
CM Omar said that because Jammu & Kashmir lies far from the political centre of the country, its concerns often fail to receive adequate national attention, compelling the party to come to New Delhi to remind the Government of its commitments. He added that despite facing restrictions and tear gas, the National Conference remained committed to pursuing its demands through peaceful and democratic means.
Meanwhile, a separate programme in support of the restoration of the rights of the people of Jammu & Kashmir and the restoration of statehood was held at the National Conference Headquarters, Nawa-e-Subha Complex, Srinagar. The programme was chaired by Srinagar District President PirAfaq Ahmad and attended by party office-bearers, workers and people from different walks of life.
At the conclusion of the programme, participants took out a peaceful protest march in support of their demands. However, the march was stopped from proceeding further by a heavy deployment of police and security personnel, preventing the procession from moving along its designated route.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary termed the protest a democratic exercise to press for the restoration of statehood and said the people of Jammu and Kashmir were awaiting implementation of the promise.
The protest also received support from leaders of the Congress and CPI(M), who backed the demand for the restoration of statehood.
Throughout the demonstration, NC leaders and workers carried placards and raised slogans seeking the restoration of full statehood, with the party announcing that its campaign would continue until the demand is met.
