As the debate on restoration of statehood heats up with Congress hitting roads across J&K, BJP’s leader of Opposition in the assembly Sunil Sharma said if chief minister Omar Abdullah wants only statehood then they are on the same page.
The NC, Congress and other political parties have now increased their pitch for statehood with Congress J&K president Tariq Karra asking other political parties of state to join his party for statehood restoration protests. Congress recently held a protest for statehood at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and its leaders said the protests will continue until statehood is granted which Congress leaders described as the right of people of J&K.
Now it seems the BJP too has softened its stand on the statehood restoration though some of party leaders are saying statehood shouldn’t be granted unless it gets clearance from the ministry of home affairs and security agencies.
“If the NC is seeking statehood without Article 370 and without Martyrs Day, just like a normal state then we are on the same page,” Sunil Sharma told a local news agency and said that Article 370 is now “buried forever.”
The latest statement from the senior BJP looks a departure from the past when all BJP leaders advocated that statehood shouldn’t be restored till the situation gets normal.
{{/usCountry}}The latest statement from the senior BJP looks a departure from the past when all BJP leaders advocated that statehood shouldn’t be restored till the situation gets normal.
{{/usCountry}}On Thursday, Karra said other political parties should join Congress to fight for statehood. “Congress will organise a series of protests for statehood from August 1. Even August 5 will be observed as black day and there will be a hunger strike on August 9,” Karra said while urging leaders and workers of other political parties to be part of this fight for statehood.