SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC), led by party president Farooq Abdullah, on Monday staged a protest in the national capital demanding the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah travelling from Jammu and Kashmir to join the demonstration.
The protest was organised to press the Union Government to restore statehood to the Union Territory. Omar Abdullah left Jammu and Kashmir for New Delhi to participate in the programme alongside senior National Conference leaders.
Addressing the gathering, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary said the people of Jammu and Kashmir had been forced to come to Delhi to remind Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of their promise to restore statehood after the Assembly elections.
He claimed that nearly one-and-a-half years had passed since the Omar Abdullah-led government assumed office, but the Centre had not fulfilled its commitment. Choudhary said the National Conference, the Congress and their alliance partners had united to remind the Union Government of its assurance.
“The Prime Minister and the Home Minister promised the people of Jammu and Kashmir that statehood would be restored after the elections. That promise has not yet been fulfilled,” Choudhary said.
He further asserted that the commitment had been made in Parliament, before the Supreme Court and to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and questioned when the Centre’s “appropriate time” for restoring statehood would arrive.
The National Conference has maintained that the restoration of statehood remains one of its principal political demands and has urged the Union Government to honour its commitment.
