Congress to take to streets if statehood demand not met: Karra

Jammu, Feb 19: Accusing Central government of playing with the sentiments of people over the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Tariq Hameed Karra on Wednesday said they are ready to hit the roads to force the Centre to fulfil this demand.
“It is a very serious issue that people are losing faith in the institution of Prime Minister and Home Minister, due to non fulfilment of public commitment (on restoration of statehood),” he said.
“The office of Prime Minister and Home Minister are an institution and any word spoken by them is considered an honest commitment. But the way people’s faith is being betrayed is a breach of trust, having far reaching consequences for times to come,” Karra said addressing a workers convention at Kishtwar.
He said the assembly elections in J-K were held on the directions of the Supreme Court otherwise the centre was not “sincere to hold elections and restore democracy despite lapse of more than five years”.
“There was another direction (from the supreme court) for restoration of statehood as soon as possible but the centre is not obeying that. Congress is fighting on the issue in all possible manner and shall take it to logical conclusion,” he said.
Karra said his party fought the assembly election in coalition with the National Conference and after the results Congress was invited to join the cabinet but “we decided to stay back, on the principled stand of statehood”.
“Our leadership took the right decision as we knew that the government will be incomplete without powers of statehood and today we feel we stand vindicated as the elected government is not being allowed to take small decisions in public interest,” the Congress leader said.
He said statehood is the right of the people of J&K and “we are not going to beg for restoration of our right, dignity, identity and status but shall fight for it.
“We are ready to take to the streets if required,” he said, seeking people’s support.