ESCALATING the political showdown over Jammu and Kashmir’s political status, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Ministers, MLAs and party workers staged a protest in the national capital on Monday, demanding the immediate restoration of Statehood to the Union Territory. The demonstration, held on the opening day of Parliament’s Monsoon Session, was, however, overshadowed by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest march to Parliament. Omar, who arrived from Jammu in the morning, was unable to reach the protest venue at Jantar Mantar due to the heavy deployment of police personnel for the CJP protest.

 

The group of around 100 NC protesters gathered with placards reading “Apna wada pura karo” (fulfil your promise) and “Restore full statehood,” raising slogans targeting the Union Government over the delay in restoring Statehood. The Chief Minister later tried to reach the Constitution Club, where a seminar on Statehood was scheduled, but was stopped by police. Wearing a jacket emblazoned with “Restore Statehood”, Omar sat on the pavement on Ashoka Road, where some youngsters participating in the CJP protest also joined him. The protesters also raised slogans such as “Modi ka wada, kyun raha aadha? (Why has Modi’s promise remained unfulfilled?)”. Police allegedly used tear gas to disperse the growing crowd near the Constitution Club while the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and his supporters were holding the sit-in.