Omar Abdullah: The National Conference of the ruling party in Jammu and Kashmir is planning to hold a protest in New Delhi. Invitations have been sent to all major opposition leaders for this demonstration, which will take place from 20 July. In addition, Kashmiri separatist leader Mirwaiz Omar Farooq was also invited.
Jammu Kashmir: The politics of Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a big change. People who were once each other’s political enemies are now coming together for nationhood. The ruling National Conference has invited all small and large parties in the state to take part in the demonstration to be held in New Delhi from July 20. This invitation may be convenient for other parties and leaders. But the invitation given to Mirwaiz Umar Farooqi, president of the moderate Hurriyat faction, has alerted the BJP. Slamming the proposed protest at Jantar Mantar a day before the monsoon season, the BJP said these parties were misleading the public.
BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh described the proposed protest as an attempt by the “Gupkar gang” to revive a dead issue to divert attention, cover up its abject failures and cover up the breaking of promises made in its manifesto. He said, “Those members of the National Conference who kept Jammu and Kashmir mired in dynastic politics and corruption for decades and who plunged the region into turmoil in the 1990s leading to an exodus of Kashmiri Pandits are today trying to preach democracy.”
He stressed that the BJP is committed to granting statehood to Jammu and Kashmir from the very beginning. But this can only happen through Parliament and not through a demonstration at Jantar Mantar.
The National Conference invited all leaders
Jammu and Kashmir’s ruling National Conference party has called a demonstration for statehood. The National Conference has called on leaders of the India Alliance and political parties in Jammu and Kashmir to join the protest in New Delhi on July 20. Party President Dr Farooq Abdullah met Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, DMK chief M.K. The letters were written to Stalin, Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, RJD chief Lalu Prasad, NCP leader Sharad Pawar and other leaders.
The national conference also invited PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Sata Sharma, chief Maulvi Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and other regional leaders.
Still waiting for permission to protest – Omar Abdullah
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that he has been asking for statehood for a long time. But no action has been taken on this matter yet. That is why he is going to protest at Jantar Mantar. He said that permission had been requested to hold a demonstration on July 20 in response to this demand. We are still waiting for him. He claimed that some people tried to “thwart” his plan. According to Omar, the purpose of this demonstration is to put pressure on the central government to return the state to Jammu and Kashmir.
Controversy over invitation of Mirwaiz Omar Farooq
Moreover, the invitation given to the separatist leader and chief religious leader of Kashmir, Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, is being discussed. On Friday, Mirwaiz confirmed the invitation of the National Conference. He said the demands of this protest should include not only statehood but also restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, rights of political prisoners and “peaceful resolution of the dispute”.
Addressing people during Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid, Mirwaiz said he had received an invitation from National Conference President Farooq Abdullah. The invitation is to join the party’s proposed protest at Jantar Mantar on July 20 aimed at pressuring the Center to immediately restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. He said that after the “unilateral changes” made by the central government in 2019, Jammu and Kashmir became a Union Territory and the people were deprived of constitutional protection, leaving them “weak and powerless”.