Farooq Abdullah leads NC’s statehood restoration protest in Delhi

New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir’s ruling party, the National Conference (NC), on Monday protested in the national capital, demanding immediate restoration of statehood, and calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to honour his commitment in Parliament and the stand taken by the Union government in the Supreme Court.

The J&K Congress leaders, including state unit president Tariq Hamid Karra and AICC member Ghulam Ahmad Mir, also joined the NC protest.

Led by NC President Farooq Abdullah, the leaders and workers gathered at the Jammu and Kashmir House at Prithviraj Road on the opening day of Parliament’s Monsoon session.

They carried placards reading “Apna wada pura karo (Fulfil your promise)”, “Restore rights and dignity of people of J&K” and “Restore full statehood”. The protesters also raised slogans like “Modi ka wada, kyun raha aadha? (Why has Modi’s promise remained unfulfilled?)”.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was seen walking towards the Constitution Club, where a seminar on the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood was being held.

“We are fighting for full statehood, which was promised by the prime minister and the home minister in Parliament, as well as in the Supreme Court, and also to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Farooq Abdullah told reporters.

“I hope the government will respect the wishes of the people of this country. I hope they will work for the good of this country and that the problems of Ladakh will also be solved and the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir will be restored,” Dr Farooq Abdullah said.

The statehood restoration protest was originally planned by the NC to be held at Jantar Mantar, but the Delhi administration had not communicated permission to the NC till this morning, NC leaders said.

The limelight at Jantar Mantar, however, belonged to the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). Protesters marching towards Parliament from the Sansad Marg side were stopped by security forces outside the Sansad Marg Police, and security forces used light force to control the crowd.

Police stopped the protesters at Raisina Road, barely 200 metres from Parliament.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Monday said the government has reached out to them for talks and that two of its spokespersons met Union Minister J.P. Nadda to put forth the activist outfit’s demands.

Delhi Police used sticks and batons to disperse hundreds of students and youth activists marching from Mandi House Metro Station towards Jantar Mantar on Monday, eyewitnesses said.

Earlier, the Delhi Metro announced the closure of five stations ahead of the Parliament march, due to ‘security reasons’. Gates of Central Secretariat and Rajiv Chowk were opened later, and interchange facilities are now available.

IANS