Congress protest march for statehood to J&K thwarted by police in Srinagar

Srinagar: As Parliament prepares for its Monsoon Session, the Congress party on Saturday intensified its campaign for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

However, its attempt to stage a protest march in Srinagar was thwarted by the police, who prevented leaders and workers from stepping out of the party headquarters.

The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Congress had planned a march towards the Divisional Commissioner’s Office as part of its statehood campaign, but police allegedly sealed the gates of the party’s headquarters in Srinagar and detained several leaders, including elected representatives arriving from other districts to join the rally.

Chanting slogans like “Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq”, “Hamari Pehchan, Hamara Haq”, and “Hamara Pani, Hamara Haq”, Congress supporters attempted to defy the restrictions. Their efforts were, however, curtailed by police personnel deployed outside the party headquarters.

J&K Congress president and MLA Tariq Hameed Karra condemned the police action, saying, “The police blocked our peaceful march and locked us inside the office. All we are demanding is the restoration of our statehood — a constitutional right taken away without the consent of the people.”

Karra said the people of J&K had been repeatedly let down by the Centre’s unfulfilled promises. “The assurances made to us in Srinagar have remained just that — hollow assurances. That’s why both Kharge ji and Rahul Gandhi ji wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, listing the dates of those promises and making it clear: no more waiting.”

Earlier this week, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to bring legislation in the upcoming Parliament session to restore J&K’s statehood. The letter also reminded Modi of the Centre’s commitment made before the Supreme Court — that statehood would be reinstated “at the earliest".

Saturday’s protest was part of a broader campaign announced by the party — “Chalo Srinagar, Chalo Jammu, Chalo Delhi". Karra said the Congress will hold a similar protest in Jammu on July 20, followed by a march in Delhi on July 21, where senior party leaders and MPs from the I.N.D.I.A. bloc will press the demand for immediate restoration of statehood.

“The Delhi march will mark a united stand — Congress workers from all districts of J&K, our MPs, and other I.N.D.I.A. alliance leaders will raise their voice together,” Karra said.

The Congress’ renewed push comes nearly six years after Jammu and Kashmir was stripped of its special status under Article 370 and bifurcated into two Union Territories — J&K and Ladakh — in August 2019. While the Centre has repeatedly said statehood will be restored after assembly elections, it has yet to provide a clear roadmap or timeline.

With the Monsoon Session approaching, the Congress appears determined to make the demand for statehood a key national issue — both inside the Parliament and through public mobilisation on the ground.