Jammu, Feb 3 — Members of the ruling National Conference (NC) on Tuesday staged a dharna outside the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, demanding restoration of statehood and action against the alleged harassment of Kashmiris in different parts of the country.
Ahead of the House proceedings, NC legislators gathered with placards reading “Restore statehood and Constitutional guarantees” and “Stop harassing Kashmiris outside J&K,” raising slogans in support of their demands.
“We are sitting on a dharna in support of the demand for restoration of statehood,” minister Satish Sharma told reporters.
NC MLA Tanvir Sadiq said the protest had the backing of the entire party legislature wing. “All NC members are participating. This was promised to us… it is now time to restore it,” he said.
Sadiq also flagged concerns over the safety of Kashmiris outside the region and appealed to the Centre to intervene. “We request Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to direct all states to ensure the protection of Kashmiris,” he said.
Inside the Assembly, the issue of alleged harassment was raised by NC MLA Mubarak Gul and PDP MLA Wahid-ur-Rehman Para as proceedings resumed.
The protests come in the wake of recent incidents involving Kashmiri traders. An 18-year-old shawl seller was seriously injured after being allegedly assaulted in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun district on January 28. In another case, an elderly Kashmiri vendor was reportedly verbally abused in Himachal Pradesh. Similar complaints of harassment have surfaced from other states as well.