Top News

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [भारत]July 12 (ANI): Ahead of the July 20 'Delhi Chalo' protests, Jammu and Kashmir Minister Satish Sharma reiterated demands for restoration of full statehood and reminded the Center of past assurances given by it which are yet to be fulfilled. He emphasized that this demand is important for both local empowerment and strengthening India. Sharma told ANI, "I wanted people from all parties to gather here. Right from the first day, when we raised this demand in the House. We were told that this demand will be fulfilled in Delhi. Now we are going to Delhi. This country is ours; we are the crown of this country. We feel that people should understand what is going to happen in the future. Restoring statehood will strengthen the state as well as India."

Dispute over permission to perform

The 'Delhi Chalo' protests reflect the long-standing demand of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) for statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier on July 10, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had said that the National Conference has not received permission for the July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar in the national capital demanding restoration of full statehood for the Union Territory. He alleged that the National Conference intended to "sabotage" the protests. Full statehood has been part of the NC's long-standing demand after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

National Conference has invited 52 leaders of different parties for this protest to be held at Jantar Mantar. CM Omar Abdullah said, "We are still in the process of getting that permission. It did not take even 24 hours for the cockroach party to get the permission, whereas we have been engaged in this work for four-five days. Some people are hell-bent on harming our programme; they changed their dates to match ours."

'This is not a protest, but a demand'

NC MLA Riyaz Ahmed Khan reiterated the party's contention that the Center had promised to restore statehood on the floor of Parliament. Riyaz Ahmed Khan said, "On June 3, there was a meeting of all the MLAs and MPs; there it was decided that statehood should have been given much earlier—it has already been delayed a lot. So, to force the central government and convince them of this need, we felt that we should go to Delhi and raise this demand loudly. You call it a protest, but I would call it a 'demand' rather than a protest, because we are in our own country and our own Prime Minister. We are seeking statehood from—not from any foreign nation or foreign leader.”

clarification on invitation to Mirwaiz

Ahmed also defended inviting cleric and 'separatist' leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to the Jantar Mantar protest. He said, "Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is a religious scholar. His ideology may be different. After all, he is a resident of Jammu and Kashmir. There is no issue that a letter should not be written to him."

According to a statement from Mirwaiz's office, he said, "It is the NC government's greatest responsibility towards the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who gave it the mandate on the clear promise that, once elected, it will revive the pre-2019 status of Jammu and Kashmir, including statehood and restoration of Articles 370 and 35A," Mirwaiz Umar Farooq while addressing a gathering at Srinagar Jama Masjid. Said.

Background: Article 370 and statehood

After the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, the Center formed two union territories: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said that statehood would be restored once the situation becomes normal. In 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the move to abrogate Article 370, while not considering the question of restoration of statehood, as the Center had submitted that it would be restored in due course. (ANI)