Jammu and Kashmir National Conference led by it’s president Farooq Abdullah and vice president Omar Abdullah on September 2 skipped mentioning Articles 370 & 35(A), special status and semi-autonomy in its official press release.
The party, however, mentioned its demands related to the restoration of constitutional rights, the return of statehood and immediate approval of the rationalisation of reservation policy.
The JKNC statement also alleged that Police on Wednesday obstructed the protest rally and resorted to excessive use of force. The National Conference claimed several leaders of the party sustained injuries while several party functionaries were arrested.
The JKNC statement said the party held a “peaceful protest” against the BJP’s “anti-J&K policies” and demanded immediate restoration of J&K’s constitutional and democratic rights and statehood, besides immediate approval of the reservation policy.
“The protesters’ attempt to gherao the BJP office was foiled when a heavy contingent of police and security forces stopped the party’s senior leaders, MPs, MLAs and workers from proceeding beyond Rajbagh Police Station,” the statement said, adding that during the incident “excessive force was used, leaving several leaders and workers injured.”
The statement claimed that even women leaders, elderly functionaries and workers were not spared, and several persons had to be shifted to hospitals.
“Several party leaders, MLAs and workers were arrested and kept in custody at Rajbagh Police Station for several hours,” the statement said.
Earlier, as per the scheduled programme, National Conference leaders, MLAs, functionaries and workers had gathered near Gindun Park, Rajbagh, it added.
“However, most of the workers were stopped before they could reach the gathering point. As the party workers assembled near the park began marching towards the BJP office at Jawahar Nagar under the leadership of General Secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar, a heavy contingent of police and security forces, already deployed near Rajbagh Police Station stopped the rally from proceeding further and resorted to excessive use of force.
Every possible measure was adopted to prevent the National Conference from carrying out its peaceful programme,” the statement further said.
The protest rally was attended by several party MLAs and other party functionaries, including it’s spokespersons.
