Congress protests UT Divas; demands statehood, assembly polls

UT divas celebrations add insult to injury: JKPCC chief

Jammu, Oct 31: Congress Tuesday held a protest dharna to oppose the “celebration of UT Divas by the government and the BJP.”

By observing “black day”, the party demanded early restoration of statehood and state assembly elections.

The protest dharna was led by Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Vikar Rasool Wani. He was accompanied by the working president Raman Bhalla; senior vice presidents Balwan Singh, Ravinder Sharma and other senior leaders of PCC, frontal wing heads and District Congress Committee Jammu urban and rural.

The protest sit-in dharna at Shaheedi Chowk was held for over two hours demanding statehood, assembly elections besides restoration of democracy and ULB and Panchayat elections.

JKPCC president, while addressing the gathering, lashed out at the BJP led central government and UT administration for celebrating UT divas, alleging that it was “adding insult to the injuries of all people of Jammu and Kashmir.” He said that the promise of restoration of statehood on the floor of parliament appeared to be another Jumla of BJP government as it was for the first time that the UT divas was being celebrated on this day, which clearly indicated that it (BJP government) did not want to return statehood to J&K.

“This is an insult to the people of J&K who are hurt by the downgrading of the historical Dogra state. Congress shall launch a struggle and take it to the block levels for restoration of statehood and holding of assembly elections besides ULB and Panchayat elections,” he announced.

Working president Raman Bhalla said that BJP should answer to the people why there was celebration of UT divas after 4 years and what happened to the promise of restoration of statehood. He said that people would teach a lesson to BJP for this betrayal besides large scale unemployment and price rise and taxes.

Ravinder Sharma termed the UT Divas celebration as a “gift of BJP to the people after four years.”