Onlykashmir.in News Desk
On Wednesday, the local ruling National Conference and the Central ruling party Bharatiya Janata Party held separate protests in Srinagar, targeting each other’s governments and policies, leading to a surge in political activity in the city.
BJP workers gathered near the Lal Chowk Clock Tower and raised slogans against the National Conference-led government and marched towards the Civil Secretariat. Police set up barricades near Hari Singh High Street to prevent the protesters from moving forward.
BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir president and Rajya Sabha member Sat Sharma accused the government of failure on the development front and said that the government should work in the remaining three years or be removed from power. He also criticized the government on issues of power, water, roads and employment.
Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Sunil Sharma said that the protests reflect public discontent. He particularly referred to the employment problems among the youth and the problems related to power, water and roads.
Sunil Sharma challenged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to resign from the Ganderbal assembly seat if he is confident of public support on the statehood issue and get a fresh public mandate on the same issue.
On the other hand, the National Conference marched from the Gundoon Sports Complex in Rajbagh to the BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir office. The police stopped the procession near Rajbagh police station while some protesters were also taken into preventive detention.
National Conference spokesperson Tanveer Sadiq said that the aim of the protest was to remind the BJP leadership at the Centre of the promises made to Jammu and Kashmir. He demanded restoration of statehood, provision of constitutional guarantees and resolution of the issues of reservation related to youth.
Cabinet Minister Sakina Itu said that the National Conference will continue its peaceful struggle for restoration of special status and statehood of Jammu and Kashmir. He also reiterated the demand for restoration of Articles 370 and 35A.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s advisor Nasir Aslam Wani said that after waiting for two years, the National Conference had to resort to protest. He raised questions on the restoration of statehood, rationality in reservation and delay in the appointment of Advocate General.
National Conference MP Chaudhary Ramzan said that the purpose of the protest is to remind Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of the alleged unfulfilled promises regarding Jammu and Kashmir. He said that the party will continue to protest from time to time until statehood and constitutional rights are restored.
Chief Minister Says!
Omar Abdullah has rejected the comparison between the National Conference (NC) and BJP protests in Srinagar, alleging that the administration treated the two protests differently. He said the BJP was allowed to protest, while the National Conference protest was “crushed mercilessly”.
Late in the evening…
Mehbooba Mufti also participated in a separate protest, demanded an increase in the stipend of medical students
Former Chief Minister and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti supported the midnight protest of medical students of GMC Bimina Srinagar, supporting their demand for a legitimate stipend of up to Rs 30,000. She also met the protesting students and supported their demand in the candlelight march held late at night.
The protest came at a time when the ruling National Conference and the opposition BJP had also held separate protests in Srinagar on various political and public issues.
