Srinagar, Aug 5: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Hameed Karra on Monday said the demand for restoration of full statehood is not limited to any one party but represents the collective voice of 1.40 crore people of Jammu and Kashmir. He urged all political, civil and trade bodies to unite in support of the demand, terming it as the “primary issue” that affects every resident of the Union Territory.
Addressing a press conference here, Karra, flanked by senior leaders including Nizamudin Bhat, said the Congress is intensifying its protest campaign to press for statehood restoration and has drawn up a phased programme.
“As part of our outreach from August 1 to 4, we successfully held public meetings and engagements across various regions. On August 5, we are observing a Black Day and holding protests in all 20 districts of J&K. From August 9 to 20, we will launch a chain hunger strike across the UT,” Karra said. “All these programmes are aimed at pressing for the demand for the restoration of statehood.”
He added that the party is closely watching the ongoing Parliament session, and its next phase of agitation will depend on developments in Delhi. “We are hopeful that the voices from the ground will reach the ears of the central government. But if the silence continues, our protests will escalate,” he said.
The JKPCC chief said that statehood is not a partisan demand. “This is not the Congress party’s issue alone. It is the issue of 1.40 crore people of Jammu and Kashmir—traders, farmers, workers, students and the business community—all want their identity and dignity back.”
He said the business fraternity, which is grappling with issues related to trade, taxation and economic slowdown, has also expressed solidarity with the Congress’s programme. “Every organisation we have met supports the statehood demand. It’s not just about governance—it’s about rights, representation and restoring the people’s voice,” he said.
Karra said the party had earlier sought to submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister, but was not allowed to do so. “Despite this, our resolve remains unshaken. We are committed to peaceful and constitutional protest. We urge all political parties across ideological lines to join hands with us. This is not the time to sit on the fence,” he said.
“We want to make it clear that the restoration of complete statehood is non-negotiable. We were downgraded without consultation, without consent. Six years later, we still wait for justice,” he added.
The J&K Congress chief urged people across communities and ideologies to participate in the chain hunger strike scheduled to begin on August 9.
Karra said the party will announce its next course of action after closely monitoring the remainder of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, where demands for statehood and elections in J&K continue to surface from J&K MPs and the opposition spectrum.
