On Sunday, scores of Congress leaders and activists, including Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Tariq Hameed Karra, were detained in Jammu during a march demanding the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
This marks the second consecutive day of clampdown on Congress rallies under the banner Hamari Riyasat Hamara Haq.
The protest march, led by Karra and party general secretary G.A. Mir, began from the Congress headquarters at Shaheedi Chowk in the heart of Jammu. The group intended to march to Raj Bhawan to submit a memorandum to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha but were stopped by police barricades. Both Karra and Mir were among those detained.
Karra criticised the authorities’ response. “By this action, they showed their frustration and their mentality that they do not believe in a democratic system and have no respect for people's voice,” he said. “The Congress will not be cowed down by such actions but will further strengthen our resolve to fight for our rights.”
He clarified the party’s intention behind the march. “They were not on the roads to spread unrest but had planned to submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through the Lt Governor championing people's yearning for statehood.”
Despite the police action in both Srinagar and Jammu, Karra said the party will go ahead with its Delhi Challo programme on Monday to “gherao” Parliament on the first day of the Monsoon Session.
“We will try to surround the Parliament on reaching Delhi. We will try to wake up this deaf, blind and handicapped government so that they can make Jammu and Kashmir a state as soon as possible,” the PCC president said.
He also noted that the INDIA bloc is united in supporting the demand for statehood. “The entire INDIA bloc MPs support the demand for statehood for Jammu and Kashmir,” Karra said.
Mir said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made a commitment regarding statehood. “It has been 10 months (since the Lok Sabha elections), but statehood has not been restored yet. Modi should fulfil his commitment.”
AICC secretary Shahnawaz Choudhary, who was also detained, criticised the police action. “There is no justification for such an action against our peaceful rally. We will continue our struggle for restoration of statehood,” he said.
Congress said it will raise the issue during the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning July 21. AICC general secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal questioned the government’s silence on the matter.
“Did PM Modi lie on the floor of Parliament about granting statehood for J&K? If not, why has J&K Police arrested JKPCC President Tariq Hameed Karra ji and other Congress leaders?” he asked in a post on X.
“Why did they seal the PCC Office in Srinagar yesterday & stopped our party workers from protesting peacefully for statehood? In the upcoming Parliament session, INDIA alliance will be demanding that full statehood be restored in J&K immediately. This farce cannot go on any longer,” he added.
Meanwhile, National Conference leader and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reiterated his party’s stance on the issue. “The Centre had promised it in Parliament and before the Supreme Court,” he said.
He rejected the idea of a “hybrid system” in which law and order would remain with the Centre even after the restoration of statehood. “Such talk was emanating from those who had cast doubts about the holding of last year's Assembly elections in which over 64 per cent of voters participated,” he said.
“Well, obviously, it's not an ideal situation. In spite of repeated promises, commitments in Parliament, commitments to the Supreme Court, the matter has still not sort of been resolved. And we're not asking for something that is not our due. Statehood is the right, it was promised to the people,” Abdullah added.