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War of words intensified between two coalition partners—the National Conference (NC) and the Congress—over the issue of “seriousness in agitating” for the restoration of statehood.

A day after National Conference president and former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah lambasted the Congress for not vigorously supporting the demand for statehood, the grand old party on Saturday hit back, accusing its coalition partner of failing to appreciate the Congress’s struggle on the issue.

In a veiled attack on Dr Abdullah, the Congress said it was the National Conference, not the Congress, that had lagged behind in the struggle for restoration of statehood. The party asserted that it has remained at the forefront and on the streets for the demand right from day one.

Reacting to Dr Abdullah’s remarks, the Congress said he was attempting to address public resentment by diverting attention, adding that the party and its leadership have played a leading role on the issue over the years.

It claimed that the Congress intensified its agitation, especially after the Assembly elections, and remained on the streets to press for what it termed the most important demand of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The party also asked the NC to explain what it had done to achieve the legitimate demand promised by the Centre.

Working President of the JKPCC, Raman Bhalla, said the Congress did not join the Cabinet—despite it being the right of every pre-poll alliance partner—in order to expose the BJP government, which had promised to restore statehood immediately after the Assembly elections but had failed to honour the commitment.

He said that since then, the Congress has intensified its struggle under the slogan “Hamari Riyasat Hamara Haq” through various phases, including chain hunger strikes and campaigns such as ‘Srinagar Chalo’, ‘Jammu Chalo’, and ‘Delhi Chalo’. He added that the party’s senior central leadership, under the directions of the high command, joined protests at Jantar Mantar and marched towards Parliament, drawing nationwide attention to the issue and exposing what he termed the Centre’s failure to honour its commitments made in Parliament, in the public domain, and before the Supreme Court.

Bhalla further said that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister, urging him to fulfil his public commitments regarding the restoration of statehood, on the eve of the J&K Congress protest outside Parliament.

He alleged that even at that time, the NC questioned the Congress’s role instead of supporting or appreciating its efforts.

The Congress, he said, had openly offered the NC leadership to lead the movement with its full support, as the issue concerns not just the party but the 1.40 crore people of Jammu and Kashmir. He added that all parties had committed to fighting for statehood during the elections, but the BJP backed out after securing a mandate in Jammu and failing to achieve a majority.

Bhalla said that instead of passing the buck to the INDIA bloc, the NC should explain what it has done to achieve the goal, beyond raising the issue intermittently and launching a signature campaign that yielded no results.

Taking a dig, he said statehood cannot be achieved by frequently praising the central government, especially when the BJP has failed to restore statehood even more than one-and-a-half years after the formation of the elected government, despite its promise to do so immediately after the Assembly elections.

He further alleged that the Modi government continues to remain indifferent to the legitimate aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, leading to widespread resentment. He accused the NC leadership of attempting to divert this public anger towards the INDIA bloc and the Congress, which, he said, has consistently supported the cause. He called for a more aggressive movement to press the Centre to fulfil the demand without delay.

Farooq Abdullah criticises Congress

On Friday, Dr Farooq Abdullah publicly criticised the Congress for what he termed as its “half-hearted” support for the restoration of statehood.

In a recent interview with a news agency, Abdullah expressed disappointment, stating that his party had not received the “expected vigour” of support from its allies, particularly the Congress. While reiterating the NC’s commitment to the alliance, he said it had not lived up to its full potential.

The veteran leader also highlighted the absence of a cohesive and unified strategy within the bloc to address Jammu and Kashmir’s political concerns, describing it as a key point of friction among the partners.