Congress Protest March In Srinagar Today Over J&K Statehood

After its letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress party is launching a campaign to put pressure on the central government to introduce a bill in the upcoming Parliament session for the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.

The party is organising a protest march in Srinagar today. The march will start from Congress headquarters in Srinagar and culminate at the divisional commissioner's office, where senior party leaders will submit a memorandum to the Divisional Commissioner.

As part of its campaign, the Pradesh Congress Committee has also announced the 'Delhi Chalo' program on July 22, where the party is planning a Parliament gherao over statehood to J&K.

On Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge jointly wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to bring legislation in the upcoming session for the restoration of statehood.

In the letter, the Congress leaders said that downgrading a state into a union territory is without precedent in independent India.

The joint letter by the Leaders of the Opposition in both houses of the Parliament has reminded the Prime Minister of his promises on the restoration of J&K's statehood. It also refers to the Central government's assurance to the Supreme Court that restoration of statehood will be done at the earliest and as soon as possible.

"Your good self has, on multiple occasions, personally reiterated the government's commitment to restoring statehood. In your interview in Bhubaneswar on 19 May 2024, you stated: 'The restoration of statehood is a solemn promise we have made and we stand by it.' Again, while addressing a rally in Srinagar on 19 September 2024, you reaffirmed: 'We have said in Parliament that we will restore the region's statehood'," reads the letter.

In the letter, the Congress leaders say that for the past five years, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have consistently called for the restoration of full statehood. They say the demand is both legitimate and firmly grounded in their constitutional and democratic rights.

"It is important to recognise that while there have been instances of Union Territories being granted statehood in the past, the case of Jammu and Kashmir is without precedent in independent India. This is the first time a full-fledged state has been downgraded to a Union Territory following its bifurcation."

Citing the Union Government's assurance to the Supreme Court, it said, "The Union Government has made similar assurances before the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in the In Re: Article 370 matter, submitting that statehood would be restored "at the earliest and as soon as possible."

The Congress march is an indication that the INDIA block may raise the statehood issue in the upcoming Parliament session.

"We urge upon the Government to bring forward legislation in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament to grant full statehood to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir," reads the letter.

Jammu and Kashmir was stripped of its statehood and special status on August 5, 2019. Since then, the Centre and the Prime Minister have reiterated the government's commitment to restore it at an appropriate time.