NC, PDP observe black day on Article 370 anniversary

Mainstream political parties, barring the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Wednesday observed a ‘black day’ to mark the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A in Jammu and Kashmir.

The BJP workers took out a ‘Tiranga’ rally at several places, maintaining that the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A on August 5, 2019, marked the beginning of a new era of unity, equality and development for Jammu and Kashmir and fulfilled a long-standing national commitment.

The ruling National Conference party leaders remained at the forefront in staging protest demonstrations in both the capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who visited flood-hit Poonch to assess damage and relief efforts, once again reiterated his commitment to reversing the Centre’s decisions, saying the ruling National Conference has not accepted the “current circumstances”.

His political adversary, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, highlighted that no amount of manufactured normalcy or carefully crafted narratives can erase the aspirations of the people of Jammu & Kashmir. Their demand for dignity, justice, and the restoration of 370 remains as strong as ever.

PDP’s young turk, Iltija Mufti, also took out a protest march in Srinagar in support of the restoration of the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Iltija, along with party leaders, including MLA Pulwama Waheed Para, and spokesperson Mohit Bhan, took out the protest march at Sonwar.

Raising slogans demanding the restoration of Article 370, the PDP leaders tried to march towards the Dalgate area, but were stopped by the police. Speaking to reporters, Iltija said the party will “fight” for the rights “snatched from us seven years ago”.

“I want to remind the Prime Minister and the Home Minister that we will fight for it. We want to protest peacefully for it. You are snatching even that right from us. The police here are doing real terror,” she said.

Echoing similar sentiments, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in a post on X, said, “Seven years, we haven’t forgotten, and we haven’t reconciled, far less accepted our current circumstances.”

My party and I remain committed to reversing all that was done to J-K that took away our rights and threatens our identity, he said. 

BJP marked the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A with celebrations across the Union Territory.

At the party office in Srinagar’s Jawahar Nagar area, J-K BJP general secretary (organisation) Ashok Kaul cut a cake to commemorate the occasion.

The party’s youth activists had planned a bike rally from Pantha Chowk to the Lal Chowk City centre, but police did not allow them to proceed towards Lal Chowk and diverted them to the party office.

In south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, BJP workers took out a Tiranga rally to celebrate. Scores of party workers, carrying the Tricolour and raising patriotic slogans, participated in the procession.

The rally passed through various parts of the town under tight security arrangements.

BJP leader Altaf Thakur said August 5 was a day of celebration as it ended the system of two constitutions and two flags in the country.

To mark the day, the ruling National Conference leaders held a protest in Srinagar, demanding restoration of the special status of the erstwhile state. Scores of NC leaders, MLAs and workers, led by Minister Sakina Itoo, assembled at the party headquarters,

Nawa-i-Subah, and took out a protest march.

Carrying placards in support of Article 370 and the restoration of special status, the protesters tried to take the march out of the party office complex but were stopped by police.

The Congress and the National Conference (NC) held separate protest rallies in Jammu on the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, observing it as a “Black Day”.

They also demanded the restoration of statehood and constitutional safeguards for land, jobs and other rights.

The police prevented the protest marches towards the city centre, leading to a brief jostling with workers at different locations. We want our statehood back. Our jobs, our land and our rights must be protected. Instead of listening to our democratic demands, the Government is stopping us from protesting. We are observing a ‘Black Day’ today. We will continue our agitation until Jammu and Kashmir regains its statehood,” a Congress leader told reporters.

In Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha dismissed the protests held by NC and PDP for the restoration of special status to the Union territory, saying he “did not see” any demonstrations.

“I did not see any (protest). If I see, I will talk to you (about it),” the LG told a reporter when asked about protests by the National Conference (NC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Sinha said August 5, 2019, the date marking the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, ended the “discriminatory system” in Jammu and Kashmir. “This day, I believe, is also important because it has a great historical significance in ending the discriminatory system,” he said.