Jammu, July 19: Senior Congress leaders today strongly condemned the use of force by the administration towards the peaceful march of congress party in Srinagar, today, to submit a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister, seeking restoration of statehood, in which the police forcibly prevented the protestors inside the gate of the Congress HQ leading to scuffle in which the PCC president Shri Tariq Hameed Karra also received minor injuries, besides detaining and preventing several Sr. congress leaders including MLAs from joining the march.
Addressing a media briefing here today Senior Congress leaders Shri Raman Bhalla, Working President, Ravinder Sharma- Chief Spokesperson, Shri Ved Mahajan Ex-MLC and Shri Rajnish Sharma – Treasurer strongly criticized the action of the administration and the police against the peaceful protestors and the participants from various districts including sitting Legislators and Senior Congress leaders who were not allowed to reach the venue of the march in Srinagar Congress Office and were prevented and detained there forcing them including the MLA Shri Irfan Hafeez Lone to have a sit in dharna at Narbar, on the main road and was removed forcibly by the police.
Hundreds of congress workers were prevented and detained from proceeding towards the venue of the march from different districts and parts of Kashmir Valley to thwart the peaceful march for a most genuine and legitimate demand of restoration of statehood as promised by the central Govt. at multiple occasions.
The senior congress leaders announced to go ahead with the proposed march in Jammu, tomorrow towards Raj Bhawan from Shaheedi Chowk to submit the memorandum to the Prime Minister for statehood through the Lt. Governor and its Delhi Chalo call of the party from Jammu on Monday Afternoon for Parliament Gherao in support of the demands.
The Congress leaders appealed to all political , social, Trades and other organizations and individuals who support the cause to join the congress struggle and movement in this regard, tomorrow and thereafter in any manner they choose. They said that it is a common cause of the people and they should support the movement as the centre Govt. and BJP are silent over the promise even after six years of the downgrading of the historical state into a UT.
They announced the protest march tomorrow shall start from Shaheedi Chowk Jammu at 11.30 A.M. and the scheduled departure of buses carrying senior leaders including Former Ministers, Legislators and others who have registered for the purpose, on Monday ,21st July 2025 at 2:30 P.M. from Maharaja Hari Singh Park Jammu towards Delhi. They said although hundreds of leaders and activists are shown their desires to take part in “ Delhi Chalo” but the party has restricted the numbers to manageable strength on the basis of prior registration.
Shri Sanjeev Panda and Shri Kapil Singh, Spokesperson were also present in the press conference.