BJP celebrates 4th anniversary of Article 370 abrogation

SRINAGAR/JAMMU: The BJP on Saturday celebrated the fourth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 by holding a public meeting in Srinagar, while its rivals staged protests, with the Congress calling it a “black day”.

The Centre on this day in 2019 had revoked Article 370, which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcated it into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Several leaders and workers of the BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir unit, led by the general secretary organisation, J-K, Ashok Koul, participated in the meeting at Jawahar Nagar.

This programme was held to open the eyes of those leaders who are trying to “provoke” the people in the name of Article 370, party spokesperson Thakur Abhijeet Jasrotia told reporters in Srinagar.

“These leaders are propagating lies, but the common people and the poor want development…Today, people have risen above dynastic politics, and they do not want any Abdullah or Mufti to befool them,” he said in an apparent reference to National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supremo Mehbooba Mufti.

During the meeting, BJP leaders highlighted the changes in Jammu and Kashmir after the Centre’s 2019 decision, with Jasrotia saying there used to be shutdowns for the most part of the year in the Kashmir Valley, but now, there are no strikes.

In Jammu, the Congress, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the PDP staged separate protests to mark the day.

Congress members led by the party’s J-K chief, Vikar Rasool Wani, held a peaceful demonstration outside the party’s headquarters at Shaheedi Chowk, demanding restoration of statehood of Jammu and Kashmir, protection of land rights and 100 per cent reservation for locals in jobs.

“We are observing August 5 as ‘black day’ since the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of our state into UTs (union territories) in 2019…we demand immediate restoration of statehood along with state subject laws,” Wani told reporters.

Slamming the BJP government at the Centre, he alleged that all its promises have fallen flat.

“There is no change in Jammu and Kashmir, contrary to the claims of the BJP which had talked about industrial investment, prosperity, and model state. The reality is that the people are suffering due to economic distress and high inflation while our health and education sectors are in shambles,” the J-K Congress president said.

He accused the central government of misleading people across the country on the abrogation of the article.