J&K Congress stages sit-in for statehood; march to LG’s residence foiled, dozens detained

Dozens of Congress leaders and activists were detained on Sunday as police foiled their march to the Lok Bhavan in Jammu to submit a memorandum addressed to President Droupadi Murmu in support of the demand for immediate restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

The march led by Pradesh Congress Committee president Tariq Hameed Karra came a day ahead of the National Conference’s proposed demonstration for restoration of statehood in Delhi.

Before the march, hundreds of Congress workers staged a peaceful sit-in at Maharaja Hari Singh Park in the heart of the city and raised slogans in support of the statehood demand.

Police barricaded the road at Jewel Chowk, stopping Congress workers from proceeding in a procession to Lok Bhavan to submit their memorandum. A brief scuffle ensued as the protesters attempted to push past the barricades, officials said.

They added that dozens of Congress activists and leaders, including Karra, AICC general secretary G A Mir, working president Raman Bhalla and several former ministers and legislators were detained.

Earlier, talking to reporters, Karra said the Congress had been campaigning for the restoration of statehood for nearly two years, taking the message to all 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir through district-level programmes, hunger strikes and campaigns under the slogans “Chalo Srinagar”, “Chalo Jammu” and “Chalo Delhi”.

He said the memorandum was intended to be submitted at the lieutenant governor’s residence for onward transmission to the President of India.

Karra also announced that the party would intensify its agitation with a second round of district-level programmes and was considering a long march from Lakhanpur in Kathua to Lolab in north Kashmir.

Asked about the Congress’ participation in Monday’s NC protest at Jantar Mantar, Karra said he, along with Mir, were leaving for New Delhi, while the party’s central leadership would decide which other leaders would participate.

The Congress leader also urged the government to announce a comprehensive rehabilitation package for people affected by the recent flash floods in Poonch and Rajouri, saying the disaster had caused extensive loss of life and property.

Mir said the people of Jammu and Kashmir had voted in large numbers in the Assembly elections, believing the Prime Minister’s assurance that statehood would be restored after delimitation and elections.

“Nearly two years have passed, but there has been no indication from the Centre on fulfilling that commitment,” he said.

Mir highlighted that the Congress had been spearheading the “Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq” (Our State, Our Right) campaign for the past two years and had consistently raised the issue in Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Parliament.

Referring to the NC protest scheduled for Monday, he said the Congress welcomed every platform that strengthened the demand for statehood as it was an issue concerning all the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

However, he alleged that the BJP’s decision to hold protests in Srinagar on Monday appeared to be an attempt to “sabotage” the Delhi protest in support of statehood.

Former minister G M Saroori noted that restoring statehood was essential for protecting the democratic rights and constitutional aspirations of the people and reaffirmed that the Congress would continue its peaceful agitation until the demand was fulfilled.