JAMMU, September 3, 2026 – Scores of National Conference (NC) leaders and activists were detained by police on Wednesday while attempting to march toward the BJP headquarters in Trikuta Nagar, Jammu. The protest was organized to demand the immediate restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and to hold the central government accountable for its promises.
1.The Protest and Police Action:
Led by NC’s Jammu Provincial President Rattan Lal Gupta and former minister Ajay Sadhotra, the demonstrators gathered at the Trikuta Nagar main market before proceeding toward the nearby BJP office to conduct a ‘Gherao’. Anticipating the march, a strong contingent of police had been deployed and had erected barricades along the route. A minor scuffle broke out when protesting activists attempted to climb and breach the barricades. Police subsequently detained nearly 100 leaders and workers, placing them into waiting vehicles and shifting them to the District Police Lines in Gandhinagar, effectively foiling the march.
2.Demands and Slogans:
An NC spokesperson clarified that the protest was intended to be a peaceful demonstration seeking accountability for the commitments made by the Union Government in Parliament and before the Supreme Court. Protesters carried placards with slogans such as “Restore Statehood,” “BJP failed to raise the voice of J&K,” “BJP failed to bring employment package,” and “BJP creating hurdles for statehood”. The party emphasized that their core demands include constitutional guarantees, immediate statehood restoration, clearance of the reservation file, and justice for the people of J&K.
3.Leadership Statements:
Addressing the gathering, NC Additional General Secretary Ajay Sadhotra reminded the BJP-led central government of the repeated assurances given by the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister regarding statehood. Echoing these sentiments, Rattan Lal Gupta stated that the decisive mandate given by the people to the Omar Abdullah-led NC government must be respected. He asserted that the public will continue to raise their voice democratically until full statehood is restored, warning that the mandate could not be treated as a “blank cheque”.
Published by True Roots Media Network