Congress to intensify protests for J&K statehood on 6th anniversary of Art 370 abrogation

The Congress is set to start protest demonstrations from August 5, which marks the sixth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories (UTs).

During a press conference in Jammu, J&K Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra announced fresh schedule of protests, hunger strike and outreach programmes to intensify the statehood movement of the party. The party had also held a ‘Delhi Chalo’ programme recently.

Karra disclosed that party will hold peaceful protests across all districts on August 5. “It will be observed as a black day and a sit-in will be held at Maharaja Hari Singh Park, besides all district headquarters,” he said.

Flanked by senior leaders, including working president of J&K Congress Raman Bhalla, Karra said a massive outreach campaign will be launched from August 1 to seek public support for statehood.

He said on August 9, the party will launch a day-long hunger strike at both party headquarters till August 20, the birth anniversary of late Rajiv Gandhi.

Karra said that first phase of statehood struggle under the banner of ‘Hamari Riyasat Hamara Haq’ including Srinagar Chalo, Jammu Chalo and finally Delhi Chalo march remained successful with full support of the party’s national leadership and drew the focus of entire political spectrum in the country towards “our legitimate demand for statehood”.

“Now the party shall further intensify the struggle in various democratic modes of protests, dharnas, hunger strikes and mass contact programme in order to create pressure on the BJP government to fulfil the commitments to restore full statehood at the earliest,” he said.