Announce statehood to J&K on Aug 15: JKPCC to PM

JKPCC president G A Mir, flanked by Raman Bhalla and others at a press conference in Jammu. —Excelsior/Rakesh
JKPCC president G A Mir, flanked by Raman Bhalla and others at a press conference in Jammu. —Excelsior/Rakesh

Nation-wide Cong protest against price hike on Aug 5

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 2: The Jammu and Kashmir Congress Committee (JKPCC) today asked the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce statehood to Jammu  and Kashmir on August 15 from Lal Qila  besides announcement about Assembly elections at the earliest.
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Addressing a press conference here today, JKPCC president GA Mir along with working president Raman Bhalla chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma and general secretaries- Yogesh Sawhney and Manmohan Singh said that the historical state and people’s rights were taken  away unilaterally and now when Government claims normalcy, they should announce statehood with constitutional safeguards for land and jobs besides the clear roadmap of Assembly elections from Lal Qila.
He said that Congress shall hold strong protest on August 5 throughout country and conduct Gherao of Prime Minister, against unprecedented price hike of all items of everyone use. This is record inflation of all items  besides record unemployment in the country.
Mir referred to the brutal lathi-charge on PHE daily wagers on Monday in Jammu and said that the Government is totally unsympathetic towards their genuine demands of regularisation and regular wages. They deserve all benefits after decades of services. The agitation has hit hard the entire water supply system especially in rural areas and the Government is unmoved for the last about 45 days.
PCC chief announced that Congress shall hold 75 kms long padyatras in every districts of the country in connection with 75th year of Independence. He said that Trianga Yatras shall cover several parts in  Jammu and Kashmir also from, August 9 to Aug 14.
Replying queries about sale of Tiranga at BJP office and collection of Rs 20 per student and others, JKPCC chief took a dig at BJP saying they have sold all assets of the country and now it’s the turn of Tiranga. The Congress party has given sacrifices for the nation and this Tiranga and those who did not take part in freedom struggle or did not hoist flag for 52 years on their office, after independence like RSS, should learn and hoist it now, probably this Govt wants them to follow  this year.
“We proudly celebrate this day every year and hoist Tiranga flag on all important occasions, asserting that National Flag flies high at Congress headquarters in Srinagar  near Lal Chowk since 1947, so there is nothing new in hoisting Tiranga at Lal Chowk,” he added.
Earlier, Mir chaired a preparatory meeting of senior leaders in which the schedule of programmes from August 9 to 15, were discussed, and it was disclosed that the party will hold 75 Km long Yatras in every district  to  celebrate 75th  Independence Day.
The meeting was attended by Working president  Raman Bhalla, Kanta Bhan, Ravinder Sharma, Yogesh Sawhney, Manmohan Singh, Rajnish Sharma, Ashok Sharma, Gurbachan Kumari Rana, TS Bajwa, Ch Gharu Ram, Ved Mahajan,  Krishan Chander Bhagat(Udhampur), Ashok Dogra (Ramban),  Shiv Kumar Sharma,  Shashi Sharma, Pawan Raina, Manjit Jatt, Sanjeev Panda,  Kapil Singh,  Sahil Sharma, Pankaj Dogra (Kathua), Sanjeev Sharma (Samba), Rajesh Sadotra (Reasi),  Suresh Dogra, Karan Bhagat, Col Swarn Singh, Zahida Khan, Rajvir Singh and others.