Scores of activists detained as NC Gherao BJP office

*Demands restoration of Statehood to J&K

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 2: Scores of ruling National Conference leaders and workers were detained while attempting to march towards the BJP headquarters in Trikuta Nagar here as part of a protest seeking immediate restoration of statehood to the Jammu and Kashmir.

Led by Provincial president for Jammu, Rattan Lal Gupta and former minister Ajay Sadhotra, the NC activists assembled at the main Trikuta Nagar market and then started proceeding towards the nearby BJP headquarters to conduct its `Gherao'. A strong contingent of police had been deployed near the BJP office. Even the cops had raised barricades to stop the NC march near the office. As the protesting NC activists arrived near the barricades, the police stopped them. They also had minor scuffle with the cops when they tried to climb and breach the barricades.

The protesters tried to cross the barricades and were subsequently detained by police, an official said, adding they boarded them into the waiting vehicles and took them to District Police Lines, Gandhinagar, foiling their proposed BJP office `Gherao'. Click here to watch video

Prominent among those detained by police included- Provincial president Rattan Lal Gupta, former Ministers- Ajay Sadhotra and Babu Ram Paul, Provincial secretary Sheikh Bashir Ahmad, Bimla Luthra, Vijay Lochan and Rakesh Singh Raka, a party spokesman said, adding that nearly 100 leaders and activists were detained by police, however, they were released in the evening.

The party spokesman further said that NC had planned to peacefully Gherao the BJP headquarters to demand accountability for commitments made by the Union Government in Parliament and before the Supreme Court.

"Our demands are clear - constitutional guarantees, restoration of statehood, clearance of the reservation file and justice for the people of J&K," the spokesman said.

The protesters carried placards carrying messages, including "BJP failed to raise the voice of J&K," "Restore Statehood," "BJP failed to bring employment package" and "BJP creating hurdles for statehood."

The spokesman said the mandate given by the people of Jammu and Kashmir could not be treated as a blank cheque and called for the commitments made to the people to be honoured.

Earlier, addressing the protesters, Ajay Sadhotra additional general secretary said that the restoration of Statehood is the democratic and constitutional right of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He reminded the BJP-led Central Government of the commitments repeatedly made by the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister, both inside and outside Parliament, regarding restoration of Statehood.

Rattan Lal Gupta said that the main objective of today's Gherao, BJP Party headquarters, Trikuta Nagar Jammu was to send a clear message to the BJP that the people of Jammu and Kashmir will continue to raise their voice democratically until full Statehood is restored. He said that the Centre must respect the decisive mandate given by the people of Jammu and Kashmir to the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference and the Omar Abdullah-led Government.

Prominent among others accompanying included- Deepinder Kour former MLC, Abdul Gahi Teli Tejinder Singh, Harshvardhan Singh, Pardeep Bali, Ayub Malik, Ankush Abrol, Vijay Laxmi Datta, Rajni Devi, Nar Singh, Sandeep Wazir, Mohinder Singh, Ch Rehmat Ali, Naresh Bittu and others.