Srinagar, Sep 02: Political tensions between the ruling Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to the streets of Srinagar on Wednesday, with both parties staging protests and accusing each other of failing to fulfil commitments made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The BJP assembled at Lal Chowk and announced a march towards the Civil Secretariat, while the NC held a separate protest and sought the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, constitutional guarantees and rights, including reservation-related measures for youth.
People are angry, that is why they are on streets: LoP Sunil Sharma
Security was tightened across Lal Chowk ahead of the BJP’s proposed Civil Secretariat gherao, with the Hari Singh High Street road towards the Secretariat closed and heavy deployment of police and paramilitary personnel in place. The NC, meanwhile, alleged that restrictions and barricades were preventing its workers from reaching the protest site.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the BJP gathering near the Clock Tower, Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Sunil Sharma said the protest reflected what he described as the failures of the NC-led government.
“This is a reflection of the failures of the government, which you are seeing on the streets today,” Sharma said, claiming that people were protesting over electricity, water, roads and unemployment.
He said young people were particularly concerned about employment opportunities and alleged that the government had failed to provide adequate jobs. Sharma further alleged that employment opportunities were being linked to contractors associated with the National Conference.
“Today you ask for a job from a contractor of the National Conference. Today, if you have to appoint a doctor anywhere, he will be the contractor of the National Conference,” he alleged.
Sharma also criticised the increase in electricity tariffs, saying the decision had placed an additional burden on the poor.
“On top of that, the government has increased the electricity tariff and has put a burden on the poor. People are angry, that is why they are on the streets,” he said.
Targeting Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Sharma questioned the promises made by the National Conference during the Assembly elections, including its commitments concerning Article 370, free electricity and jobs.
“Mr Omar Abdullah had said he would bring back the so-called Article 370. He had said he would give 200 units of electricity for free and 100,000 jobs,” Sharma said.
He also challenged Omar Abdullah to seek a fresh mandate from the people on the issue of statehood, saying he should resign from Ganderbal and contest elections on the issue.
“If Mr Omar Abdullah has even a little bit of dignity left, then come and fight the elections on statehood and resign from Ganderbal. If people win the elections and send you to the statehood, then we will bow before you,” Sharma said.
The BJP had announced that it would march towards the Civil Secretariat as part of its protest. Party leaders and workers remained gathered at the Clock Tower at the time of filing the report and had not yet begun the march.
NC: BJP Must Fulfil Promises Made to J&K
Responding from the NC side, party Chief Spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said the National Conference had staged its protest to remind the BJP leadership in Delhi of the promises and commitments made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“We only want to remind the BJP leadership in Delhi that the promises you made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir must be fulfilled. The time has now come,” Sadiq told reporters on the sidelines of the protest.
He said the NC wanted to take out a peaceful procession towards the BJP headquarters to remind the party’s central leadership of commitments made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and promises made before the Supreme Court.
“We want to take out the procession peacefully and march towards the BJP headquarters to remind them of the promises made to us by Prime Minister Modi and the commitments made before the Supreme Court. We have come here to seek fulfilment of those promises,” he said.
Sadiq clarified that the protest was not directed against the BJP’s local leadership but was aimed at conveying the party’s demands to the leadership in Delhi.“We have nothing against the BJP’s local leadership,” he said.
The NC spokesperson said the party’s demands included restoration of statehood, constitutional guarantees and reservation-related measures for the youth.
“It is not only about constitutional guarantees and special status, but also about statehood and reservation for our children. Something must be done for the youth today,” Sadiq said.
He also questioned the delay in a pending file concerning rationalisation of posts for the youth, saying employment-related issues needed to be addressed.
Sadiq further alleged that NC workers were being stopped from reaching the protest site because of restrictions and barricades from different directions.
“Our workers are not being allowed to come here at the moment. We had already asked people to come here. There are restrictions from all sides,” he said.
He said the NC was protesting for the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and to demand respect for the mandate given to the party.
“We are here for all the rights and the mandate given by the people of Jammu and Kashmir. That mandate must be respected. That is why we have come here today,” he said.
Sakina Itoo: ‘Every Day Is a Day of Protest for Us’
Jammu and Kashmir Education Minister and NC leader Sakina Itoo said the party would continue its peaceful struggle for restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and statehood, asserting that “every day is a day of protest” for the NC.
Speaking on the sidelines of the NC protest, Itoo said the demand for restoration of the rights of Jammu and Kashmir had continued since 2019 and would be pursued at every level.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir chose it and they can choose any day. For us, every day is a day of protest, and every day we will peacefully demand, at every level and on every platform, that our rights be restored,” she said.
Itoo said the demand was not limited to the National Conference and claimed it represented the sentiments of people across Jammu and Kashmir.
“This is not just the voice of one organisation, but it is the voice of the people of the entire Jammu and Kashmir,” she said.
The minister alleged that restrictions had been imposed at several places to prevent people from joining the NC protest and claimed that checkpoints had been established at multiple locations.
She also alleged that BJP workers were allowed to move freely through Lal Chowk while NC protesters faced restrictions.
“This injustice, pressure and harassment will not be tolerated. We will continue to demand our rights and will do so peacefully. InshaAllah, we will achieve them,” Itoo said.
“Our effort and our demand is that Article 370 and Article 35A be restored and statehood be restored, so that this high-handedness comes to an end,” she said.
Sat Sharma: ‘Those Giving Pakistan Clean Chit Won’t Be Tolerated’
Meanwhile, BJP Jammu and Kashmir president and Rajya Sabha MP Sat Sharma accused the NC-led government of blaming the Centre whenever an incident occurs in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Whenever an incident takes place in Jammu and Kashmir, they say that the Centre is trying to disturb the situation. Those who directly give a clean chit to Pakistan will never be tolerated by the Bharatiya Janata Party,” Sharma said while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the BJP protest.
He said the NC-led government should focus on development during the remaining three years of its term or step down.
“What can be expected from such a Chief Minister? In the two years that have passed, the development that should have taken place under his leadership has not happened. The attempts being made to divert people’s attention will not be forgiven by the people,” he said.
Sat Sharma said people had made up their minds and demanded that the government either work during the remaining three years of its term or leave office.
He claimed that more than 10,000 BJP workers and members of the public had gathered at Lal Chowk.
“This is the same historic Lal Chowk where, at one point, the hoisting of the Tricolour was prevented. But today, you can see the atmosphere. Thousands of people have gathered peacefully and have made up their minds that either the government should work or leave office,” he said.
With both parties taking their political battles to the streets of Srinagar, Wednesday’s protests highlighted the widening political confrontation between the NC-led government and the BJP over governance, development, employment, statehood and the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional rights.
‘Unfulfilled promises forced us to protest’: CM’s Advisor Wani
Advisor to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani on Wednesday said the government is compelled to stage a protest as key issues, including restoration of statehood and rationalisation of reservations, remained pending despite waiting for two years.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the protest, Wani said, the party has been patiently waiting for the commitments made to the people to be fulfilled.
“Understand why we are compelled to stage this protest. For two years, we have been sitting patiently and waiting with the hope that the promises made to us would be fulfilled,” he said.
Wani said people had expected statehood to be restored after the elections, but no concrete discussion had taken place on the issue. “We had full hope that statehood would be restored, but there has been no discussion on it,” he said.
On reservation rationalisation, Wani said the Cabinet had approved the matter and forwarded it to the Lieutenant Governor, but the issue remained pending. “This is an issue directly linked to the future of our youth, but it is also being delayed and no decision has been taken on it,” he said.
He said the government had been informed that certain queries had been received from Delhi and that the matter was subsequently returned to the Cabinet for a response.
“We were told that there were some queries from Delhi and that the matter had been returned to the Cabinet. The Cabinet was supposed to respond to those queries and send it back to the Lieutenant Governor, but that is not happening,” Wani said.
He also questioned the delay in appointing the Advocate General, saying several matters were being held up.
“The situation has reached such an extent that even the Advocate General has not been appointed yet. So, what are we protesting about? Those who are responsible for working should do their work,” he said.
Wani accused the opposition of attempting to divert public attention instead of addressing issues confronting the people. “They are trying to divert the attention of the people. They have not been able to accept their defeat. They still believed that they would form the government here, but the people of Jammu and Kashmir taught them a lesson,” he said.
He further alleged that the people of Jammu and Kashmir were suffering because of what he described as the opposition’s inability to accept the electoral verdict.
“I feel that they are taking revenge on the people. You have seen for yourself how our ministers, MLAs and colleagues are being pushed and treated so badly,” Wani said.
