The demand for restoring full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir is once again at the center of national debate. In this context, an important public meeting titled "Statehood Now" is being organized in New Delhi on Wednesday, July 23rd. This meeting is being organized by the Jammu and Kashmir Human Rights Forum, an active informal group of citizens focused on Kashmir.
The purpose of this public meeting is to put pressure on the central government to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Leaders and Members of Parliament from several major opposition parties will participate in the program, jointly demanding that the government take a decision soon. The meeting will provide a platform for the political and constitutional aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Presence of These Leaders
Senior Jammu and Kashmir leader and National Conference President Dr. Farooq Abdullah, former Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, Srinagar Lok Sabha MP Agha Ruhullah Mehdi, and senior CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami will attend the public meeting and express their views.
In addition, senior Congress leader and MP Manish Tewari will present the legal aspects related to the constitutional position of Jammu and Kashmir and its statehood in this program. Congress MP Naseer Hussain, SP MP Iqra Choudhary, CPI(M) General Secretary M. A. Baby, RJD MP Manoj Jha, DMK's Tiruchi Siva, and CPI (ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, and several other senior leaders will also participate in the meeting.
Representatives from Ladakh Will Also Attend
The voice of Ladakh will also be heard in this meeting. During the program, representatives of the Ladakh Buddhist Association, Eshe Namgyal, and Sajjad Kargili of the Kargil Democratic Alliance will present their views regarding the aspirations of the people of Ladakh.
Although the participation of NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule, DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, Trinamool Congress's Derek O'Brien, and senior MP Kapil Sibal has not yet been officially confirmed, their attendance is expected.
Kharge and Rahul Gandhi Had Also Raised Their Voices
Last week, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and MP Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that a law be brought in the monsoon session of Parliament to restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Notably, in August 2019, the central government revoked Article 370, withdrawing the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, and divided the state into two Union Territories—Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Now, the National Conference, the Congress, and other opposition parties are uniting to demand the reversal of this decision and the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Today's meeting is being considered a significant political step in this direction, which could further intensify the opposition's pressure on the central government.
