Jammu: The All Party United Front (APUF), comprising over a dozen opposition parties, held a protest in Jammu demanding the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. This demonstration comes ahead of the Supreme Court’s September 30 deadline for assembly elections in the region.
Protesters, including members of Congress, National Conference, PDP, CPI (M), and Shiv Sena (UBT), gathered near the statue of Maharaja Hari Singh, calling for a rollback of a recent government of India order that increased the lieutenant governor’s powers.
Ravinder Sharma from Congress criticised the BJP for failing to restore statehood and delaying elections, while recently expanding the lieutenant governor’s authority. Last month, the Union Home Ministry amended rules under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which increased the lieutenant governor’s powers over police and prosecutorial matters.
The protesters demanded statehood restoration, land and job rights, and timely elections. Sharma also condemned the BJP for its handling of militancy. National Conference provincial president Rattan Lal Gupta called for prompt assembly elections and promised that his party would reverse the BJP’s laws.
JK Shiv Sena (UBT) president Manish Sahni warned that the protest would intensify if statehood is not restored soon.
APUF has formed an 11-member core committee, led by former MP Sheikh Abdul Rehman, to continue the push for statehood.
