APUF to protest for restoration of full statehood in Jammu next month

Jammu, Jul 24 (PTI) Several opposition parties and organisations will stage a protest here on August 3 to press for restoration of full statehood and rollback of a central government order giving more powers to the lieutenant governor ahead of assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

The protest will be led by All Party United Front (APUF), a Jammu-based amalgam of various opposition parties and social groups.

“A ‘dharna’ will be held at the Maharaja Hari Singh Park on August 3 under the banner of APUF in support of the demand for restoration of full statehood to J-K and rolling back the latest amendments under section 55 of the Reorganization Act, 2019,” J-K Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Manish Sahni told reporters here.

Sahni alleged that the definition of democracy has changed under the BJP rule in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The proposed demonstration should serve as an eye-opener for the BJP and it should immediately put an end to the practice of deceit, fraud and injustice with the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

The decision to come out on the roads in Jammu for the demonstration was taken at a joint meeting of representatives of various political parties and social groups, Sahni said.

He said an 11-member core committee was constituted to carry forward the protest for restoration of full statehood.

The committee will be headed by former MP Sheikh Abdul Rehman with members from Congress, Peoples Democratic Party, National Conference, Shiv Sena (UBT), Aam Aadmi Party and Communist Party of India(Marxist) among others, Sahni, who was flanked by other members of the core group, added.

The Union Home Ministry has given more powers to the lieutenant governor (LG) by amending rules framed under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.

This act, passed alongside the abrogation of Article 370, bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

The move empowered the LG to make decisions on crucial matters such as police and all-India services officers and granting sanctions for prosecution in various cases.

Earlier on July 20, the APUF had threatened a relay hunger strike if the order was not revoked by the end of this month.