Jammu and Kashmir Police thwarted a protest march by the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) in Srinagar on Saturday, aimed at demanding the restoration of statehood. Led by JKPCC president Tariq Hameed Karra, party workers gathered at the Congress office on Maulana Azad Road, intending to march to the Divisional Commissioner’s office to submit a memorandum. However, police sealed the office’s main gate, preventing the demonstration.

Speaking to reporters, Karra condemned the police action as “undemocratic,” alleging that several Congress leaders and workers were stopped at various locations across Srinagar to block their participation. “This reeks of the administration’s frustration,” he said, emphasizing that the march was a peaceful effort to reiterate the demand for statehood, revoked in August 2019 when Jammu and Kashmir was reorganized into two Union Territories. The protestors dispersed without incident after being confined for nearly two hours.

The Congress has intensified its statehood campaign, with Karra warning of larger protests if the demand, promised by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in 2024, remains unmet. The issue, backed by regional parties like the National Conference, remains a flashpoint ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

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