Jammu : All Party United Front (APUF), a Jammu-based amalgam of over a dozen opposition political and social parties, staged a demonstration here on Saturday to press for restoration of statehood ahead of the Supreme Court set September 30 deadline for holding of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

The protesters, including senior members of the Congress, National Conference, PDP, CPI (M) and Shiv Sena (UBT), assembled outside the statue of Maharaja Hari Singh near Tawi bridge in the heart of the city, also seeking rollback of a recent Central government order providing more powers to the lieutenant governor.

“The main opposition parties, minus BJP and its cohorts, have come together to convey a strong message that we want immediate restoration of the full statehood before holding of the assembly elections along with democratic rights to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Pradesh Congress Committee senior vice-president Ravinder Sharma said.

He accused the BJP-led Central government of “shamelessly downgrading” the historic Dogra state and snatching the “status, dignity, identity and rights” of people. “The BJP is on record having promised restoration of statehood to the people of J&K in Parliament and the Supreme Court. It failed to keep its promise and also hold assembly polls in the last six years. Now when the Supreme Court set the deadline for assembly elections draws nearer, it has given more powers to the Lt Governor to continue its proxy rule,” Sharma said.

Last month, the Union Home Ministry gave more powers to the lieutenant governor by amending rules framed under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. This act, passed alongside the abrogation of Article 370, bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

The move empowered the lieutenant governor to make decisions on crucial matters such as police and all-India services officers and granting sanctions for prosecution in various cases. The protesters were carrying placards and chanted slogans in support of restoration of statehood, land and job rights and holding of the assembly elections.

Sharma also criticized the BJP-led government for its failure to tackle terrorism and said the situation has worsened especially in the peaceful Jammu region where the terrorists have carried out sensational attacks in the recent past.

National Conference provincial president Rattan Lal Gupta also slammed the BJP for delaying the assembly elections and expressed hope that the Election Commission which is visiting J&K next week will ensure the holding of much awaited polls. “National Conference is going to form the next government and will revoke all the black laws implemented by the BJP,” he said, demanding restoration of statehood before holding of the assembly elections.

J&K Shiv Sena (UBT) president Manish Sahni said a spark has been lit with this peaceful protest and it will turn into a flame in the coming days if the BJP delays restoration of statehood. “We will intensify this struggle across Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

Pertinent to mention here that, Last month, the APUF constituted an 11-member core committee to carry forward the struggle for restoration of full statehood.

The committee, headed by former MP Sheikh Abdul Rehman, included members from the Congress, PDP, National Conference, Shiv Sena (UBT), AAP and CPI(M) among others.

CNI