JAMMU, Jul 6: Mission Statehood President Sunil Dimple on Monday led a protest rally along the Janipur–High Court Road, demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduce a Bill during the forthcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament for the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing the gathering, Dimple urged the Prime Minister to fulfil the commitment made on August 5, 2019, on the floor of Parliament regarding the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood. He also referred to the Supreme Court’s observations on the matter and called for the early restoration of the erstwhile Dogra State.
Dimple asserted that the prevailing peace and normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir make it an appropriate time for the Centre to restore statehood. He appealed to the Prime Minister to table the required legislation during the Monsoon Session of Parliament without any further delay.
The Mission Statehood president also called upon the 29 BJP MLAs from Jammu and Kashmir to take up the issue with the national leadership of the party and press for the restoration of statehood. He urged the BJP leadership to honour its commitment and ensure that the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir are fulfilled.
Speaking on national security, Dimple demanded the liberation of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit-Baltistan, stating that these territories are an integral part of India and should be merged with the Jammu and Kashmir State. He alleged that residents of PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan are facing repression and violence at the hands of the Pakistani establishment and claimed that many people there are striving for freedom.
Dimple also rejected the possibility of any dialogue with Pakistan, maintaining that India’s priority should be the integration of PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan rather than bilateral talks.
Criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party over what he described as its non-committal stand on restoring statehood, Dimple said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have waited long enough and deserve a clear timeline from the Union Government.
Warning of intensified public protests if the demand is ignored, he announced that Mission Statehood would launch a massive agitation for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood. He further warned that the organisation could call for a Jammu Bandh and undertake an indefinite agitation to press for the restoration of statehood. Dimple also reiterated the demand for the restoration of Article 370 and the establishment of a Law University in Jammu.
Among those who participated in the protest were Ram Kapoor, Sudershan Sharma, Kala Kumar, Rattan Kumar, Mohinder Kumar, Deepak Kumar, Sudesh, Daleep, Vikas Kumar and several other supporters of Mission Statehood.