NC leaders protest on Article 370 anniversary, demand restoration of J&K's special status

National Conference (NC) leaders on Wednesday held a protest in Srinagar on the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, demanding the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's special status.

Led by Education and Social Welfare Minister Sakina Itoo, party leaders, MLAs and workers assembled at the NC headquarters, Nawa-i-Subah, and staged a protest march.

The protesters, carrying placards in support of Article 370 and Jammu and Kashmir's special status, were stopped by police when they attempted to march beyond the party office complex.

"We demand that our special status and rights, which were snatched from us, be restored," Itoo told reporters.

She said the party had consistently sought the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's constitutional guarantees through peaceful means.

Itoo said the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly had passed a resolution with a two-thirds majority seeking restoration of the region's special status and that the Cabinet had also adopted a resolution, which was sent to the Union government.

Article 370, which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, was abrogated by the Centre on Aug. 5, 2019.