Congress to intensify movement for statehood: Karra

Jammu, Jul 28: Buoyed over, what it said, “successful Delhi Chalo programme”, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) will further intensify its movement for statehood, by observing Black Day on August 5 across Jammu and Kashmir and relay hunger strike from August 9 to 20.

This was announced by JKPCC president Tariq Hameed Karra in a press conference here at PCC headquarters Jammu on Monday (July 28, 2025).

Announcing a fresh schedule of protests, hunger strike and outreach programmes to intensify the statehood movement, Karra said that the party would hold peaceful protest dharna at Jammu, Srinagar and all districts of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, the sixth anniversary of the downgrading of the state.

“It will be observed as a black day and a sit-in Dharna will be held along Maharaja Hari Singh statue and park besides all district headquarters to press for statehood,” he said.

JKPCC working president Raman Bhalla; former ministers Mula Ram, Yogesh Sawhney; ex legislators Ved Mahajan, Thakur Balbir Singh, Naresh Gupta and senior JKPCC leaders Manmohan Singh, Hari Singh Chib, Dina Nath Bhagat, Yash Pal Kundal and Neeraj Gupta accompanied Karra during the press conference.

JKPCC president said that a massive outreach campaign would be launched from August 1 to seek public support for statehood.

“On August 9 i.e., ‘Quit India Day’, the party will launch a day-long hunger strike at both party headquarters. Relay hunger strike will continue till August 20, the birth anniversary of late Rajiv Gandhi ji. However, August 15 and 16 have been exempted,” Karra said.

“Now the party will further intensify the struggle in various democratic modes of protests, dharnas, hunger strikes, ‘Chaurahe- pe-Charcha’ and mass contact programme in order to create pressure on BJP’ government to fulfill the commitments to restore full statehood at the earliest,” JKPCC president announced. Karra demanded that a three days special session of the J&K Legislative Assembly should be held shortly to apply pressure on the government for bringing legislation to restore full statehood.