J&K Cong chief to lead hunger strike in Srinagar for statehood

J&K Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra will launch a hunger strike in Srinagar on Saturday to press for the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

“As already announced by the party to intensify the statehood movement, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Hameed Karra shall launch the hunger strike tomorrow at Srinagar along with all district presidents and district coordinators of the PCC for Kashmir province,” the party’s chief spokesperson, Ravinder Sharma, said.

Sharma, speaking at the party office in Jammu, said Karra would also lead a hunger strike in Jammu on August 10, accompanied by all district presidents from the Jammu province. The protest will be held at the Maharaja Hari Singh statue site at Tawi Bridge from 10 am onwards.

He said Karra had already announced a phased schedule to intensify the struggle for the restoration of full statehood during a press conference in Jammu on July 28.

Sharma added that Karra would personally lead the hunger strike in both capital cities to step up the party’s eight-month-long ‘Hamari Riyasat Hamara Haq’ movement, which gained further momentum after the ‘Srinagar Chalo’, ‘Jammu Chalo’ and ‘Delhi Chalo’ calls organised by the party on July 19, 20 and 21 respectively.