Cong to launch fresh campaign for statehood restoration in J&K from 22 April

The Congress' Jammu and Kashmir unit is planning a one-and-a-half-month-long campaign from 22 April over statehood restoration demand, a party leader said on Sunday.

Its state unit chief Tariq Hameed Karra chaired a meeting in Jammu to finalise the strategy of intensifying the statehood movement and "save the constitution" campaign in the Union Territory on the instructions of the party's Central leadership.

"The betrayal of the BJP on the issue of statehood restoration and not extending powers to the elected government to come up to expectations of the sufferings of the people will be exposed during the campaign," a party spokesperson said.

He said the programme will start with a meeting of senior leaders from all districts and blocks in Jammu on 22 April followed by province-level protest rallies in Jammu on 29 April against the "onslaught on the constitution by Modi government" and its "vindictive politics" against the opposition.

The party shall make people aware of the "failures" of the BJP-led government at the Centre on the employment front, inflation and taxations as well as its "divisive and communal" politics, the spokesperson added.

During the meeting, the party expressed grief over the loss of lives and damage to property in various parts of Jammu and Kashmir due to weather vagaries and urged the government to grant adequate relief to the affected families.