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Protests mark sixth anniversary of Art 370 revocation in J&K
Though Valley-based political parties termed it a “black day”, the Congress held protests in all 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir for the restoration of statehood
Protests and condemnation on Tuesday marked the sixth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories on August 5, 2019.
Though Valley-based political parties termed it a “black day”, the Congress held protests in all 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir for the restoration of statehood. The ruling National Conference and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held protests in Srinagar. In Jammu the protest was led by the working president Raman Bhalla, along with former minister Lal Singh, Mula Ram, Yogesh Sawhney, chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, AICC secretary Shah Nawaz Chaudhary, Rajnish Sharma and several others. The protest was held in front of the statue of Maharaja Hari Singh at Tawi Bridge.
On the sixth anniversary of revocation of Article 370, parties in Jammu and Kashmir staged vociferous protests and called the BJP government’s move “a unilateral and arbitrary decision, which has gone down as black day in the annals of history”.
“It’s a black day for us. Not only were our rights snatched six years ago but our state was also divided into two UTs. On the sixth anniversary, we are holding protests in all 20 districts of J&K and demanding the restoration of statehood at the earliest,” J&K Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra said.
The National Conference held a protest at its party headquarters in Srinagar against the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A. Party leaders and workers carrying placards raised slogans demanding the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and constitutional rights.
A petition filed in the Supreme Court for the restoration of statehood is scheduled to be heard on August 8.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, who was not allowed to take out a march along with party workers in Srinagar, said: “August 5 marks a black day not just for Jammu and Kashmir, but also for the entire nation. On this day, the Constitution was subverted not by foreign hands, but from within, by a brute majority in the heart of our democracy. The unconstitutional abrogation of J&K’s special status was not an end, it was the beginning of a broader assault on constitutional values,” the former chief minister posted on X.
Peoples Conference president and Handwara MLA Sajad Lone put out a defiant message, calling August 5 a “brutal reminder of the undermining of democracy and an ugly example of selective targeting”. Reflecting on the day that altered Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional status, he said: “Whatever little was left from the glories of the past was taken away.”
Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari, who was the first leader from the Valley to hold a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah after the revocation of Article 370, termed the anniversary “a painful reminder of our recent history”.
“New Delhi must uphold the dignity and democratic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The restoration of these rights is not an act of generosity, it is a constitutional and moral obligation,” he said, adding the region had gone through a prolonged phase of violence and bloodshed. “People have suffered immensely over the past decades, and therefore they long for peace, justice, and dignity — fundamental aspirations that can no longer be ignored. This is the right time for New Delhi to initiate a genuine, inclusive, and meaningful dialogue with the people of Jammu and Kashmir to address their issues and grievances and move toward a lasting resolution.”
Congress will intensify struggle: Raman Bhalla
Raman Bhalla lashed out at the BJP government for the betrayal despite repeated promises for early restoration of statehood. “Six years ago BJP snatched statehood from people and promised early restoration but today is sixth anniversary and it has not been restored despite Supreme Court directions. Congress will intensify the struggle for restoration of complete statehood and ‘Hamari Riyasat Hamara Haq’ movement shall continue till we achieve our goal of full statehood,” he said.
Lal Singh cornered BJP for its authoritarian style at the Centre and said “statehood is our basic right”. “BJP has destroyed the Dogra identity, status and dignity and insulted Dogra rulers,” he said. “Our land, jobs and resources are being looted ruthlessly,” he added.
NC also held a protest near Raghunath Mandir in the Jammu city and other district headquarters. A large protest rally from Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan, the party’s provincial headquarters, proceeded towards the city centre. The protest was led by provincial president Rattan Lal Gupta and former minister Ajay Kumar Sadhotra besides others.
Addressing the gathering, the party leadership described August 5, 2019, as a dark day in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, when the constitutional rights of its people were unilaterally revoked without their consent. “The decisions taken on August 5, 2019, are unacceptable to us. We will continue our peaceful and democratic struggle for the restoration of our constitutional rights. It was claimed that these decisions would bring development and parity with other states but the reality is starkly different. Unlike other diverse regions of our country, which enjoy their rightful place under India’s federal structure, Jammu and Kashmir continues to be denied its status and rights,” said Rattan Lal Gupta.
