Congress Marks 'Black Day' to Demand J&K Statehood Restoration

The Congress plans to mark August 5 as a 'black day', protesting the downgrading of Jammu and Kashmir to Union territories six years ago. A sit-in at Jammu's Maharaja Hari Singh statue is part of the action intended to press the Center for full statehood restoration.

Backed by the All Parties United Morcha, the protest intends to amplify the call for statehood restoration, a demand echoed by grassroots constituents. Ravinder Sharma, the Congress spokesperson, urged local participation, emphasizing the significant impact of the central government's decision on regional democracy.

The Congress accuses New Delhi of controlling J&K from afar and failing to deliver on promises of restoring statehood. The sit-in and district-level protests are part of a larger campaign titled 'Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq'.

(With inputs from agencies.)