Srinagar: 13 July: In a fresh salvo directed at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday (12 July) asked whether he should plead his case for the restoration of Statehood before the President of the United States, Donald Trump, or go to the White House.
Omar Abdullah argued if the BJP keeps narrating that the restoration of Statehood for J&K won’t happen inside the Legislative Assembly, street protests and sit-in at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, what are the options left.
“Our patience is running thin. First they [the BJP] told us that statehood won’t be returned inside the J&K Legislative Assembly. Then they told us it won’t be returned by protesting on the streets or at Jantar Mantar. Should I go to Donald Trump or the White House to seek the restoration of statehood,” the Chief Minister told his supporters at a rally in Jammu.
The J&K National Conference is all set to hold a symbolic sit-in at Jantar Mantar on 20 July. Prior to this, the party held a rally on 11 July in Srinagar’s Hazratbal to intensify the demand for the restoration of statehood.
The party has written to over 50 politicians from other ideological camps, including influential chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, to participate in the proposed sit-in at Jantar Mantar.
