New Delhi, Jul 20
The National Conference (NC) protested here on Monday to demand immediate restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and call on the Modi government to honour its commitment made in Parliament and before the Supreme Court.
Led by NC president Farooq Abdullah, NC leaders and workers gathered at the Jammu and Kashmir House on the opening day of Parliament’s Monsoon session. They carried placards reading “Apna wada pura karo (Fulfil your promise)”, “Restore rights and dignity of people of J&K” and “Restore full statehood”.
The protesters also raised slogans like “Modi ka wada, kyun raha aadha? (Why has Modi’s promise remained unfulfilled?)”.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was seen walking towards the Constitution Club, where a seminar on the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood was being held.
“We are fighting for full statehood, which was promised by the prime minister and the home minister in Parliament, as well as in the Supreme Court, and also to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Farooq Abdullah told reporters.
“I hope the government will respect the wishes of the people of this country. I hope they will work for the good of this country and that the problems of Ladakh will also be solved and the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir will be restored,” the former chief minister said.
Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary said it is unfortunate that the people of Jammu and Kashmir had to come to Delhi to remind the Centre of its promise.
“You promised the people of Jammu and Kashmir that you would restore statehood after the elections. Today, it has been nearly a year and a half, and neither the prime minister nor the home minister has fulfilled that promise,” he said.
Choudhary said the NC, the Congress and their alliance partners had assembled in Delhi to remind the Centre of the assurance given to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“You made it in Parliament, you made it in the Supreme Court, and you made it to every single child in Jammu and Kashmir that you would restore statehood. When will that appropriate time finally come?” he asked.
Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised into the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh in August 2019 following the abrogation of Article 370. In December 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the Centre’s decision, observing that statehood should be restored at the earliest. (Agencies)
