Congress' street protest over statehood foiled by L-G administration in Srinagar
The Congress leaders alleged the security forces blocked the gates of the Congress headquarters in Srinagar and allegedly detained several leaders, including elected legislators like Irfan Hafiz Lone, who were travelling from different districts to attend the protest rally.
The Congress supporters were seen raising slogans 'Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq', 'Hamari Pehchan, Hamara Haq' and 'Hamara Pani, Hamara Haq' slogans, as they made a bid to march towards the city centre Lal Chowk. The bid, however, was foiled by the police manning the gates of the Congress office in Srinagar.
'The J&K Police halted our peaceful march, blocked us inside the office, where we were demanding the restoration of Statehood, a right unjustly taken from us,' J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Hameed Karra said.
He described the police's move to restrict and detain the party leaders from joining the protest march as 'heavy-handed and undemocratic use of police power'.
'Our voices will not deter us. Statehood was promised on the floor of Parliament, and the Honourable Supreme Court directed its restoration. Yet, the L-G administration continues to obstruct our legitimate demand. We will not be silenced. Our resolve is stronger than ever, and no force can stop the people of Jammu and Kashmir from reclaiming what is rightfully ours,' Mr. Karra said.
Referring to the recent joint letter written by Leaders of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Statehood demand, Mr. Karra said, 'We decided to intensify our ongoing movement in Srinagar and Jammu. As part of this intensification, we made the decision to launch a 'Chalo Srinagar, Chalo Jammu' campaign on July 19 in Srinagar and July 20 in Jammu. Following that, we gave a call for 'Chalo Delhi' on July 21, under which our senior leadership will go there to demand immediate restoration of statehood,' Mr. Karra said.
He said the letter that Rahul ji and Kharge ji sent has the backing of not only 150 Congress members but also 233 members of INDIA alliance leaders.
'We will give our memorandum to the Divisional Commissioners in Srinagar and Jammu. They will hand it over to the Lieutenant Governor, and then the PM.'
Senior Congress Leader and AICC General Secretary G.A. Mir, who also participated in the protest, said, 'Protest is our constitutional right. We wanted to protest against unconstitutional means to take our rights and downgrade J&K to a Union Territory. We had informed the administration about the memorandum to be handed over to the Divisional Commissioner. These restrictions will only intensify our protests. If they are stopping established leaders from protesting, one can imagine what they can do to the common man if they dare to protest,' Mr. Mir said.
He said it's the responsibility of the Congress to raise the voice of the people. 'The dual power centre in J&K is impacting the ordinary citizens,' Mr. Mir added.
Earlier on July 13, the L-G administration, which oversees the law and order, barred the regional leaders and the J&K government from holding a commemoration ceremony at the graveyard of the 22 civilians who died in an uprising against the Dogra ruler in 1931. On July 14, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was seen climbing the wall of the graveyard in an open defiance to the L-G orders.
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