Omar to meet Shah; Cong to hold march for statehood

The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress is organising a protest march towards Raj Bhavan in Jammu on Wednesday to press for early restoration of statehood. J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah is likely to meet Union home minister Amit Shah the same day to deliberate on the demand for statehood.

J&K Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra said the march will start from Shaheedi Chowk in Jammu around 11 am and proceed towards Raj Bhavan. Senior party leaders along with prominent citizens and other organisations are scheduled to participate in the march.

“This protest is part of the nationwide programme to raise different issues like the Gautam Adani episode and the alarming situation in Manipur,” said Karra. “We will also demand early restoration of statehood and clarity on other issues concerning J&K.”

Karra further said that despite the loss of numerous lives in Manipur and the severity of the crisis in the north-eastern state, the BJP governments in the state as well as at the Centre had failed to address and mitigate the situation. “The Prime Minister is yet to visit Manipur,” he said.

The Congress, with six legislators in the J&K assembly, is supporting the National Conference government from outside. It has maintained strategic silence on the restoration of Articles 370 and 35 (A) of the Constitution and used the term “restoration of constitutional guarantees” instead in its public statements.

Meanwhile, Omar Abdullah is likely to meet Shah for the second time since becoming the chief minister of the Union Territory in October.The meeting is scheduled a day before Shah’s review meeting on J&K with lieutenant governor (LG) Manoj Sinha along with senior officials of the administration, police and intelligence.