JAMMU — J&K Congress Monday observed a black day by holding a massive protest and a dharna in Jammu city at Shaheedi Chowk, on the day J&K state was downgraded into a UT in 2019 and continued denial of restoring statehood after five years.
As per the news agency KNO, led by JKPCC Chief Vikar Rasool Wani and accompanied by top leaders and others senior functionaries of party, the Congress leaders wore black badges and carried black flags, raising slogans against BJP government, Prime Minister and Home Minister for denial of statehood even after five years of the downgrading of historical state into UT and snatching special status under Article 370 of the Constitution.
A large number of senior Congress leaders, functionaries of PCC, DCC, frontal organisations and blocks participated in the protest dharna and raised strong slogans against the BJP for celebrating UT Divas on the day the historical Dogra state was disbanded, downgraded into UT and lost all rights, identity, status & dignity and hurled shame on BJP for rubbing salt on the wounds on the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
They demanded immediate restoration of statehood with safeguards for land, jobs & natural resources for locals before assembly elections & restoration of democracy at the earliest.
Prominent among those who accompanied include Working President Raman Bhalla, Chaudhary Lal Singh, Mula Ram, Balwan Singh, Ravinder Sharma, and several others.
Talking to media persons on the protest site, JKPCC chief lashed out at the Modi government and the BJP for arbitrarily downgrading the historical state and continuously denying its restoration despite false promises, even when it completes five years today.
He shamed the BJP for celebrating the downgrading of the historical Dogra state on this day and said that it is a black day for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, as they lost identity, status, dignity and rights on this day five years ago.
“BJP should explain what was achieved in five years as J&K has gained number one position in unemployment, unprecedented price rise and people subjected tax terrorism, power tax smart meters, water tax, toll tax and record increase in all government fees, old age widows, handicapped, old government pensioners subjected to harassment, daily wagers, need based, contractual, RET, REZ, REJ, NRHM and all such categories suffering, farmers evicted of state lands and all sections suffering and terrorism on peak in last 20 years but BJP celebrating this. As elections draw near, the BJP snatched all powers and gave them to the LG instead of restoring the state as promised,” he added.
He demanded immediate restoration of statehood before elections and all rights besides holding assembly elections at the earliest.
