SRINAGAR: The National Conference (NC) on Monday announced that its MLAs and MPs will stage a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 20, the first day of Monsoon Session of Parliament, to press for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.J&K’s deputy CM Surinder Choudhary said that ahead of the protest, his party NC will organize public rallies in Srinagar on July 11 and in Jammu on July 12. “CM Omar Abdullah will address these rallies and will argue for restoration of statehood,” he said.Choudhary said PM Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah had assured the people of J&K that statehood would be restored after the state Assembly polls. He said despite the formation of the elected government 18 months ago, the promise remained unfulfilled.“The absence of statehood is affecting employment generation and development funding. Jammu and Kashmir’s expenditure and administrative responsibilities remained comparable to those of a state, but its financial allocation is at par with that of a union territory. It is being treated at par with Ladakh UT,” he said.Choudhary said all political parties committed to the interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir should join the NC on July 20.J&K lost its statehood on Aug 5, 2019, when Centre abrogated Article 370, revoked the region’s special constitutional status and bifurcated the former state into two UTs, J&K and Ladakh. Since then, parties across Kashmir’s political spectrum, including NC and PDP, have repeatedly demanded restoration of statehood. Centre had publicly committed to restoring statehood at an appropriate stage but given no timeline.On June 3, NC announced a one-day protest at Jantar Mantar on the issue. Later, on June 11, Omar met the prime minister in New Delhi raising the issue of statehood with him.But after the meeting, Omar said there has been no change in his plan to hold a protest in New Delhi. “Commitments have been made in the Supreme Court, Parliament and at various public functions to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. To remind the Centre of these commitments, we will go to Delhi and put forward our views at Jantar Mantar,” the CM had said.
