Karra led team meets Kharge, Rahul
* BJP did grave injustice to J&K people: Venugopal
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, July 22: Intensifying demand for the restoration of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, the J&K unit of Congress Party, braving downpour today held strong protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi while its leaders and workers’ march towards Parliament was foiled by a strong contingent of police.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
More than 500 Congress leaders and other functionaries from J&K and Delhi, including top party leaders– AICC general secretary (Org) K C Venugopal, AICC general secretary I/C J&K, Dr Sayed Naseer Hussain, Digvijay Singh, Imran Partapgarhi, Rajni Patil, Imran Masood, G A Mir, Tariq Hameed Karra, Raman Bhalla, Ch Lal Singh and many others after strong protest at Jantar Mantar, moved towards Parliament to conduct its `Gherao’ but hardly after moving about 150 meters away from the venue, a strong police contingent raised barricades and stopped them from moving ahead.
Some Youth Congress activists led by IYC chief, Uday Bhanu Chib, tried to cross the barricades and a few of them even climbed on the barricades but the police nabbed and detained three Youth Congress activists. The police foiled their Parliament Gherao programme. After holding protest on the road near Parliament House for some time, J&K Congress concluded its protest programme.
Earlier, AICC general secretary (Org), KC Venugopal while addressing gathering said that the BJP has done grave injustice to the people of Jammu and Kashmir by downgrading a historic state into the Union Territory, against the wishes of its people.
The AICC leader hit hard at Narendra Modi Government for doing injustice to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He said it was the only example in country where a State was converted and downgraded into UT. “We have seen UTs upgraded to States in independent India,” he added.
He questioned why Modi Government is not restoring the Statehood to J&K people who have stood against Pahalgam attack and shower their patriotic commitment but BJP is not fulfilling its commitment.
Venugopal appreciated the J&K unit of Congress Party under the leadership of Tariq Hameed Karra besides all senior leaders who have organised such a massive struggle for their legitimate demand for Statehood. Modi Government is using its force to crush the voice of Congress in Kashmir and Jammu to weaken its struggle for Statehood. He extended full support of the party to the people of J&K in their just demand.
Senior AICC leaders Digvijay Singh and all others extended their whole hearted support to the cause of people of J&K and appreciated the leadership of JKPCC and cadre for such an extensive struggle for a most genuine cause.
JKPCC president Tariq Hameed Karra expressed gratitude to the national leadership of Congress Mallikarjun Kharge and LOP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for their whole hearted support to the cause of J&K people by writing letter to the Prime Minister reminding him of his commitments while deputing several senior leaders to join their protest today.
G A Mir, in his address, lashed out at the Modi Government for befooling the people of J&K by making false promises for six years. The AICC has fully supported the legitimate cause of people of J&K and thanked Congress president, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi for their support. He appreciated the struggle of Congress party in Jammu and Kashmir for fighting the rights of people.
Several senior leaders includeing Raman Bhalla, Ch Lal Singh, Uday Bhanu Chib, Shah Nawaz Chaudhary, Neeraj Kundan, Mula Ram, Ravinder Sharma, Balwan Singh, Yogesh Sawhney, Haji Jahangir Mir, Nizammudin Bhat, Iftikhar Ahmed- MLAs and others also addressed the gathering.
The Congress on Sunday said the party will raise the demand for restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir in the Monsoon session of Parliament.
The large number of senior Congress leaders, all six sitting MLAs, Ex-Ministers/ Legislators, DCC presidents, Frontal organization leaders including large number of Youth Congress and Mahila workers reached Delhi today and straightway reached Jantar Mantar led by PCC president Tariq Hameed Karra, AICC general secretary & CLP Leader G A Mir, They were joined by large numbers of youths led by IYC president Uday Bhanu Chib.
After, staging protest, the J&K Congress team met the AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi in the party office in Delhi in presence of K C Venugopal and AICC general secretary Incharge J&K Dr Sayed Naseer Hussain. Both these leaders and Karra briefed Kharge and Rahul Gandhi regarding today’s protest programme at Delhi and campaign lauched in the J&K for restoration of Statehood.
While interacting with the leaders/functionaries from J&K, Kharge and Gandhi assured their full support. They said they have already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and reminded him about his promise in the Parliament with regard to restoration of statehood to J&K. They said Congress party is fully with the people of J&K on this issue, Rahul said he was willing to visit to J&K if needed for this purpose. He said Congress will forcefully raise this issue in the Parliament during ongoing session.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
