Ending days of speculation, the Jammu and Kashmir Congress on Friday announced that it will participate in its coalition partner National Conference’s (NC) much-publicised protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 20, demanding the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
However, the party also asserted its independent role in the statehood movement by announcing a separate protest march in Jammu on July 19, highlighting that it has been spearheading the campaign ever since the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference government assumed office on October 16, 2024.
Addressing a press conference, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Hameed Karra said the Congress deliberately chose to remain on the streets rather than join the government, making the restoration of statehood its central political campaign.
“We decided not to become part of the government and instead continued our struggle for full statehood. Since October 16, 2024, Congress has taken this movement to every nook and corner of Jammu and Kashmir through protests, dharnas, chain hunger strikes, Jammu Chalo, Srinagar Chalo and Delhi Chalo programmes,” Karra said.
He recalled that the Congress had also organised a successful protest at Jantar Mantar last year, which was attended by senior party leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
Karra said Kharge and Rahul Gandhi had also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 16, 2025, reminding him of the Centre’s commitment to restore statehood and urging the government to fulfil its promise at the earliest.
While welcoming the National Conference’s decision to launch a similar agitation, Karra said the Congress was willing to support any movement aimed at achieving statehood for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“We are happy that the National Conference has finally joined this movement and even adopted our slogan, ‘Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq’. Our fight is for the larger cause of restoring statehood to the 1.40 crore people of Jammu and Kashmir. Therefore, despite the NC not joining our agitation last year and even questioning our protests, we will participate in their demonstration in Delhi,” he said.
The Congress leader, however, indicated that the party would continue to maintain its own political campaign on the issue.
Karra announced that the Congress has advanced its previously scheduled agitation in Jammu from July 20 to July 19 to facilitate its participation in the NC’s Delhi protest the following day.
The party will hold a massive sit-in at Maharaja Hari Singh Park in Jammu from 10.30 am on July 19, followed by a protest march to the Lieutenant Governor’s residence at Panjtirthi at noon.
The march will pass through the city’s main bazaars before culminating outside the Lieutenant Governor’s residence, where a memorandum addressed to the President of India will be submitted through the Lieutenant Governor’s office.
Senior party leaders, legislators, former ministers, former legislators, district presidents, frontal wing leaders, block presidents and workers from both the Jammu and Kashmir regions are expected to participate in the programme.
Karra also announced that if the Centre fails to restore statehood in the near future, the Congress will launch a long march from Lakhanpur in Jammu to Lolab in north Kashmir.
“I have already discussed this proposal with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. The details are being finalised and will be shared with the media and the public shortly,” he said.
The announcement comes amid an apparent attempt by both coalition partners to assert their political role in the ongoing campaign for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, with each highlighting its contribution to the movement while reaffirming support for the common cause.
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