Amid heightened security, protests were staged across Jammu & Kashmir by the ruling National Conference (NC) and the Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday to mark the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of provisions of Article 370, which granted J&K a special status.
NC and PDP announced had already plans for separate protests on Wednesday on the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of erstwhile J&K into two Union territories with directions to the party units at district levels to ensure participation. However, opposition BJP marked the day with celebratory events at its party headquarters and in districts.
J&K’s governing NC held peaceful protests to demand the restoration of statehood while PDP said its demonstrations laid thrust on the restoration of Article 370 and the release of political prisoners.“On this day, I would just say they (Centre) should fulfil their promise. They promised the people of J&K and the entire country that statehood would be restored after elections and delimitation. Both have been done,” NC chief Farooq Abdullah said.
BJP spokesperson Sajid Yousuf Shah said the party would take out a Tiranga rally from Lal Chowk, adding the abrogation of Article 370 had changed the mood in J&K.“Transport, shops and other business establishments started working as usual. There is no report of any untoward incident so far from anywhere in J&K,” the officer said. As a precautionary measure, tight security arrangements were put in place in Srinagar city to thwart protests by political parties on the anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370.
Roads leading to the headquarters of the NC and the PDP were sealed amid the deployment of police and the CRPF around these offices. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah began the day by posting on X, “7 years, we haven’t forgotten & we haven’t reconciled far less accepted our current circumstances.
She called for restoration of J&K’s special status. Interestingly, while the NC has been demanding restoration of statehood, the PDP has been demanding the reinstatement of Articles 370 and 35A along with statehood. The PDP is also opposing the demand for just the restoration of statehood, asserting that this demand is aimed at legitimisation of the abrogation of Article 370 and snatching away the special status of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
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