SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Youth wing, Wednesday staged a protest here to mark the first ‘anniversary’ of the abrogation of the special constitutional position of Jammu and Kashmir, and its ‘bifurcation’ into two Union Territories on this day in 2019.
It is pertinent to mention here that provisions of Article 370 which gave special status to the erstwhile state, was abrogated by the centre on August 05, 2019.
Holding placards which read “repeal unilateral decision and restore statehood” scores of PDP activists, led by Party Youth General Secretary, Arif Laigaroo according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) held a protest here to seek restoration of special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
Talking to media, PDP youth leader said that his party will never compromise on what was snatched away by BJP from the people of Jammu and Kashmir and that a political battle would continue till legitimate ‘constitutional’ rights of the erstwhile State are restored in their original form.
He said most of the leaders in PDP were detained ahead of the party’s proposed sit-in protest against centers ‘unilateral’ move. Laigaroo said the authorities also sealed the PDP head office at Residency Road while detention of party President, Mehbooba Mufti, under contentious Public Safety Act (PSA) was extended by three months.
“Since PDP headquarters stand sealed by government forces and our leaders detained, we managed to hold a peaceful protest to seek restoration of Article 370 and 35A. We also demand that Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir be reunified,” said Laigaroo.
He said the protest was staged as part of the party’s proposed program to observe the day as ‘Black Day’ to protest New Delhi’s unilateral decision on Jammu and Kashmir a year ago.