JAMMU: The ruling National Conference (NC) on Tuesday staged a protest outside the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, demanding the restoration of statehood and an end to the alleged harassment of Kashmiris in other states and Union Territories.
NC legislators, holding placards reading “Restore Statehood”, raised slogans and asserted that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been deprived of their democratic rights since the downgrading of the erstwhile state into a Union Territory.
PDP MLA Muntazir Mehdi also joined the protest while carrying a placard. Clarifying his presence, Mehdi said, “I am supporting the cause of statehood, not the National Conference.”
The demand for restoration of statehood continues to be a key political issue in Jammu and Kashmir, with several parties pressing the Centre to fulfil its commitment on the matter.
