The Congress party protested against the Central government on Tuesday for “cheating the people of Jammu and Kashmir” and not fulfilling the demand for reinstating the statehood of the region post the abrogation of Article 370.
Congress leader and party’s general secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal, while participating in the protest at Jantar Mantar, said that the Centre is going back on its word after promising statehood to the region.
“The government of India is cheating the people of Jammu Kashmir. They have already promised statehood for Jammu Kashmir, which they are not doing at all. We heard about a Union Territory becoming a state, we have never heard of a state becoming a Union Territory. They have done so much injustice to the people of J-K,” Venugopal said amid sloganeering by party workers.
“The people have come from from different parts of JK, they came with difficulty. Indian National Congress solidly stands with the people of J-K,” he added.
Regarding the statehood demand, the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) had organised the ‘Our state, our right’ programme across Jammu and Kashmir.
Party leader Imran Masood, also at the protest told ANI, “We are with the people of J-K for getting them statehood. Congress is resolute in giving the people of J-K their rights. You have stolen the rights of the people.”
In August 5, 2019, the Central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, repealed Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, effectively ending the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating the state into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Recently Kavinder Gupta was also appointed as the new Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Ladakh.
The restoration of statehood has been a key demand from the regional political parties in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganisation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories in August 2019. (ANI)
