Jammu, Sep 30: Making its position unequivocally clear that BJP supports restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir but will strongly oppose any attempt to revive the pre-1953 constitutional arrangement, autonomy or special-status agenda, J&K BJP on Wednesday held protests across districts in J&K against the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah led National Conference government.
“The party strongly opposes any move to dilute or oppose Parliament’s historic 2019 decision and to seek the revival of 35 A or 370,” the BJP stressed.
The protests followed the Assembly’s passage of the Statehood resolution containing references to the 2000 autonomy resolution and the 2024 special-status resolution.
The BJP said, “The NC government cannot use the genuine demand for statehood as a vehicle to reopen constitutional issues that have already been settled.” The party maintained that statehood and the pre-1953 agenda were two entirely separate matters and the NC must stop misleading the people by mixing them in one resolution to take the people’s attention away from their miserable failures in providing even basic governance to the masses in J&K.
In Jammu, the protest was led by district president Rajesh Gupta at Kachi Chawni Chowk, where BJP workers burnt an effigy of the National Conference.
Lok Sabha MP Jugal Kishore Sharma, former MLC Vibodh Gupta, treasurer Prabhat Singh, media incharge Dr Pardeep Mahotra, district Prabhari Brijeshwar Rana, spokesperson Zorawar Singh joined by other senior party leaders and hundreds of workers participated.
Jugal Kishore Sharma said the BJP supported restoration of Statehood but would oppose any attempt to mix the statehood issue with questions concerning the erstwhile constitutional arrangement. He said the Assembly should focus on governance, development, employment and issues directly affecting the people instead of reopening contentious constitutional debates.
He said BJP would continue democratic protests against the NC government and demand that the Assembly concentrate on development and public welfare.
Vibodh Gupta said the NC government should explain why references to earlier autonomy and special-status resolutions were attached to a statehood resolution. He said the BJP would continue to raise public issues and oppose what it considers an attempt to revive settled constitutional controversies.
Rajesh Gupta said the Jammu protest reflected the party workers’ objection to the language and references contained in the Assembly resolution.
Similar protests were held in Jammu border district, Jammu North, Kathua, Samba, Basohli, Ramban and Kishtwar under President Ravi Kumar Parihar.
In the Kashmir region, protests were held in 7 districts, including Srinagar, Shopian, Anantnag, Baramulla, Ganderbal etc.
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