SRINAGAR: With the maiden Assembly elections of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory likely to be held this year, the United Opposition on Saturday staged a massive protest in Jammu, demanding restoration of J&K’s statehood with full powers and revocation of powers given to Lt Governor.
The protest was staged under the banner of All Party United Front (APUF) — a Jammu-based amalgam of over a dozen opposition political parties and social groups. Senior leaders of Congress, NC, PDP, CPI(M), Shiv Sena(UBT), AAP and Jammu-based parties gathered near the statue of Maharaja Hari Singh at Tawi bridge in the heart of Jammu city and participated in the protest.
Holding banners and placards, the protestors demanded restoration of statehood and roll back of the Lt Governor’s powers. A Congress leader said that from the last 5 years, the BJP government did not fulfil its promise of restoration of statehood to J&K. “When the Prime Minister and Home Minister have said that statehood would be restored, why is it not being done? Why are they waiting for elections? They should restore the statehood before elections,” he said.
The protesting leaders also slammed the Centre’s move to give more powers to J&K Lt Governor. “We strongly oppose it. The power should be given to the elected government. The CM, who is elected by people, should take the policy and not the Lt Governor or bureaucrats from outside,” they said.
J&K Congress senior vice-president Ravinder Sharma said, “The statehood should be restored before the assembly elections along with democratic rights to the people of J&K,” he said and accused the Modi government of downgrading the Dogra state and snatching “special status, dignity, identity and rights of J&K people”.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Manish Sahni termed the protest in Jammu a “trailer.” “We have told the government that snatching rights of people of J&K will not be tolerated. We were promised jobs, development and peace and normalcy and all these claims have remained unfulfilled. This kind of protests will not only be restricted to Jammu but will spread to other parts of J&K also,” he said.
Five cops sacked for narco-terror links
The Lt Governor administration in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday dismissed six employees, including, five policemen for their alleged involvement in narco-terror activities by invoking Article 311 of the Constitution of India. The six employees, according to him, were notorious drug peddlers, habitual offenders, involved in distribution of narco terror funding and working as Over Ground Workers for different militant groups.